THE  City Hall is an extremely important building in Guyana’s history and this is deeply appreciated by the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) and for that reason as recently  as 2011  a sum of $20M was allocated  for the restoration of the roof of the building.

Minister of Local Government Ganga Persaud highlighted this fact  at a recent press conference at the ministry’s boardroom at Kingston, Georgetown.
However, the $20M given in 2011 was put aside by the City Council as Mayor Hamilton Green had been busy “campaigning” as it was the election period.
Minister Persaud noted that 2011 went by and 2012 came and met the money available to City Hall and  it was then reported that $5M of that money was expended and government accounting requires  that after a certain time unspent balances must be remitted to the Consolidated Fund, hence the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Local Government acted within the financial regulations and the sum of $15M was returned.
He asserted that “here is a mayor and a council going around and crying that the government and the ministry are  bent on not providing assistance to the city to maintain this historical building, when in truth the government gave $20M and the council took more than a year and only expended $5M, yet they’re complaining on a daily basis that the facility needs immediate and urgent repairs.”
Persaud maintained that this is a statement of fact and it  is not the first time it is being disclosed but he expressed his appreciation to those who factually reported  this matter and took  note that the government has never neglected City Hall.