WITH Mashramani celebrations just days away, the agency responsible for selling vending spots, Georgetown City Hall has once again managed to grab the attention of the media following reports of alleged “illegal practices” by the Mayor and Deputy Mayor. 

These revelations were made yesterday by acting Town Clerk Carol Sooba, who in an exclusive interview with this publication related that the Mayor and Deputy Mayor were making orders contrary to legal procedures regarding the sale of vending spots for Mashramani.
Last week, Sooba had disclosed that the sale of vending spots was the responsibility of the Town Clerk’s office, falling under the mandate of the Town Clerk and the City Treasurer.
The procedure, she indicated, is that persons who wished to purchase spots for vending were required to register at the Town Clerk’s office, where they would be issued an invoice and they would then be required to pay.
However, she said yesterday that orders from the Mayor, Hamilton Green and Deputy Mayor, Patricia Chase Green have caused a diversion from this procedure.
According to Sooba, the Deputy Mayor and Mayor had installed city councillors at the point where persons were required to pay, and ordered them –the councillors– to usher the customers to the Deputy Mayor’s office, where they would be issued with some form of documentation, indicating that the vending spot was free of charge.
She continued that reports further indicated to her that an amount of “GYD$2000 was requested from the customers,” which would not be documented and the document authorising the “free spot” would be stamped by the Mayor and signed by the clerk of the of the Deputy Mayor’s office, Audrey Wedwar.
These cases, she said, amounted to over 100 spots being issued “illegally” by this malpractice, which has resulted in an ongoing investigation by the Guyana Police Force (GPF).
As such, the acting Town Clerk took the opportunity to urge those who had “bought” spots for vending through this mechanism to cancel such “purchases” immediately, as the replications of the sales of these spots would be exposed on Mash Day, and would result in perpetrators being arrested immediately.
Additionally, Sooba advised that vending spots could only be bought through the Town Clerk’s office, from the Town Clerk (ag) or the City Treasurer.
The public is also advised that vending will be prohibited along JC Latchmansingh Street, Irving
Street and Church Street on February 23, to facilitate the Mashramani floats and reduce space constraints along these routes. Spectators will also be prohibited from lingering along Irving Street, due to the reduced space.
Portable toilets will also be placed around these areas for the public, while a team headed by the acting Town Clerk, the City Treasurer, Deputy Town Clerk and the Assistant Town Clerk will be responsible for manning these activities.
Failure to adhere to these guidelines which were employed to ensure a safe Mashramani 2015 will result in intervention by the Guyana Police Force, which will be working alongside the City Constabulary.