TOWN CLERK, Royston King last Friday had submitted the City Council’s budget in order to secure the Government’s $24M subvention for this year.Mayor Patricia Chase-Green said the amount, to be directed to the purchase of machinery to enhance the City Engineer’s Department, is expected to become available shortly once it would have been processed.

The Mayor noted that the subvention amount has been increased somewhat, as previously, the Council would have received only $20M. This amount still remains “small change” in view of the hefty sums that the municipality has to find it pay its bills.

City Hall’s wages will alone amount to between $68M and $70M per month, Chase-Green observed. This is in addition to the sums it has to find to carry out works in the City, she said.

The Mayor said for her to run the City as she would like, she would need about $3B a year.

She debunked media reports, which suggest that huge sums of money have gone missing at City Hall. “How the money could be missing and so many things are being done in the City? Just take a look around.”

Chase-Green is urging that the media and citizens to desist from “bombarding” the City Council with negativity. “There is so much negativity around. If someone wants information, let them come in to the City Council,” she urged.

It is alleged that City Hall is in a cash-strapped state with staff left without salaries and garbage contractors owed millions.