FIVE of the six municipalities in Guyana yesterday submitted the estimates of their 2014 income and expenditure to Minister within the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development, Mr. Norman Whittaker, for approval.

The presentation was done at the Fort Street, Kingston, Georgetown Ministry, in the presence of Permanent Secretary, Collin Croal and other officers.
The Georgetown City Council was the only municipality that did not present its estimates. The others which did are the Corriverton, Anna Regina, Rose Hall, New Amsterdam, and Linden Town Councils.
Section 155 of the Municipal and District Councils’ Act requires town councils or district councils to prepare and submit that information for the next financial year, no later than November 15 of each year.
The event yesterday was conducted under the theme ‘Ensuring adequate returns to stakeholders and promoting effective financial management and accountability in 2014.’ Town Clerks, municipal treasurers and chairpersons of the various Finance Committees, were present, too.
Chairman of the Finance Committee of the Georgetown City Council, Mr. Junior Garrett stated that the reason they could not make the presentation was due to the fact that the budget had not been approved by the council.

Any bearing
This, he explained, was because Georgetown Mayor Hamilton Green felt that other items should have been included. Garrett disclosed, however, that he was of the opinion that none of the Mayor’s requests have any bearing on statutory requirements.
He asked that Minister Whittaker be the one to decide whether or not they should proceed to present the estimates without the approval of the council.
Meanwhile, eleven councillors voted against the Georgetown budget, four for and two abstained.
The minister responded that he noted that all of the consultation processes were followed with staff and said the Mayor cannot ask the council to include items that are not allowed.
He advised Acting Town Clerk Carol Sooba to set out the course of events, in writing, to him and said the ministry will take it from there.
Minister Whittaker told the municipal officers that the ministry would like to see an increasing amount of the revenue garnered go towards providing services like maintenance of roads, weeding of heavy vegetation, solid waste management and fixing bridges.
He observed, too, that many of the Regions’ primary sources of revenue continue to be the markets, along with rates and taxes.
“We find it easier to focus on the market revenue than to go after those who are indebted for the services we provide. We would like to see more focus being placed on defaulting ratepayers,” Whittaker asserted.
He advised that the officers reach out to such defaulters, individually, summoning them to the offices and making out payment plans with them in some cases.
The minister told the officers that, in working to make the towns better places in which to live and work, it is imperative that they support the work of Government.
“We must not leave it to Government only…to provide the goods and services that people need.”
He said his expectation was that their budget estimates would have evolved out of a process of consultation with the elected councillors, various departments inside the municipality and, of course, residents.

Not satisfied
“It is noticeable that all of you are making a determined effort to deliver. We are not satisfied that, in some instances, you are giving it your best effort,” Whittaker told the officers.
Permanent Secretary Croal implored the municipal officers to re-examine the programmes they, initially, planned in 2013 and ensure that they are completed on time.
He said he was hoping for ‘realistic and relevant’ budgets.
For those projects that pose a difficulty, he advised them to inform the ministry early, so that they could render the needed assistance.
He informed that the ministry was pleased with the progress of the municipalities after completing a general assessment of the subvention programmes for 2013.
Very shortly, he informed, the second tranche will be released for the payments and completion of their 2013 subvention programmes.
Croal went on to announce that Cabinet recently gave its no objection for the creation of District Tender Boards that will be established across the Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs) and municipalities.
The operations of such bodies will be considered at various training sessions in the future, Croal said.

(by Telesha Ramnarine)