COUNCILLOR Junior Garrett, performing the duties of Chairman of the Finance Committee of the Mayor and City Council (M&CC), in the absence of sick Deputy Mayor Robert Williams, has promised to have the municipal budget out by January 31. Deputy Town Clerk Sharon Harry-Munroe had told a recent press conference that the municipality did not, necessarily, have to present its budgetary proposals to the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development.
However, addressing the media at City Hall last Friday, Mr. Garrett pointed out that the budget is supposed to be presented to the ministry by November 15 of the preceding year.
“This Council has prepared such a budget but, from my financial experience, that was not properly done,” he said, when undertaking to have it presented according to “accepted accounting principles and practices.”
Underscoring the importance of information being made available by the Treasury Department when requested, Garrett said:“Over the years, I had refused to get involved in the preparation of the budget, because there were always distortions in the financial information that was used as source.
“I intend to have a hands-on position where preparation of the budget is concerned and, apart from this, there will be other financial documents which are used in business entities to manage the monthly funds of the council,” he disclosed.
At present, Garrett said about 60 percent of the funds received at City Hall goes towards administrative expenses and the remainder to core services in the city.
Interestingly, though, Town Clerk Yonnette Pluck, who is the officer in charge of the Administration Department, has been accused, along with others, of rampant corruption and mismanagement of funds.
Councillors, at a recent statutory meeting, called for Pluck and City Treasurer Andrew Meredith to be sent home or suspended for approving the payment of a Christmas incentive to certain workers only. The Local Government Ministry has since asked Pluck to provide written responses on the matter.
Meanwhile, the country’s other five municipalities have submitted their proposals to the ministry on time and Local Government Minister Ganga Persaud recently told the media that he is hoping for a surprise from the M&CC this year.
He said it is a known fact that all rates and taxes collected goes into the coffers of the municipality and, therefore, it is unfortunate that it cannot work and live within its budget. 
“It is more and more I see the municipality of Georgetown reneging on its responsibility for waste collection and seeking to intentionally delegate that responsibility to the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development.
“And I don’t think that the ministry is interested in taking over any responsibility of the municipality. We are not prepared for that, so I trust that, this year, the municipality will, finally, get its act together and execute its mandate to the citizens,” Persaud stated.
Minister within the Ministry, Mr. Norman Whittaker, said Chairman of the Implementation Committee that was established to investigate the operations of City Hall, Mr. Keith Burrowes has, again, been asked to assist the Council with its financial affairs.