City Council budget for presentation at Monday statutory
COUNCILLOR Junior Garrett, who is performing the duties of Chairman of the Finance Committee, announced yesterday that the budget of the Georgetown Mayor and City Council (M&CC) will be presented, for approval, at the statutory meeting next Monday. He said the procedure is for the proposals to be sent to the Council, first, then to the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development and he could see the presentation to the public by next week Wednesday.
Garrett had previously promised to have the municipal budget ready by January 31.
But Minister within the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development, Mr. Norman Whittaker, told the Guyana Chronicle, yesterday, that the Council has not yet submitted its budget to the Ministry.
“They keep shifting the timeline for delivery,” he said, adding that the Ministry last heard that the budget would be presented in two or three weeks’ time.
Deputy Town Clerk Sharon Harry-Munroe had informed a City Hall press conference that the Municipality did not, necessarily, have to present its budgetary proposals to the Local Government Ministry.
However, Garrett had, subsequently, confirmed that it is supposed to be handed 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 done this year in accordance with “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.
Presently, Garrett said, about 60 percent of the funds received at City Hall go towards administrative expenses and the remainder to pay for core services in the city.
The country’s other five municipalities have submitted their proposals to the Ministry on time and Local Government Minister, Mr. Ganga Persaud recently told the media that he is hoping for a surprise from the M&CC this year.