‘- I feel beyond humbled’

IN a quest to climb the mountain of politics and secure the seat of Mayor of Georgetown, Deputy Mayor Sherod Duncan has begun his campaign to garner much-needed support to run the city and make it the country’s engine of economic development.
In a post on social media on Friday, titled “GEORGETOWN MEANS BUSINESS,” Duncan said he was honoured to have been given full support of the APNU+AFC and residents within his constituency, who have rallied around him from the inception of the Local government elections held months ago.

Duncan, who many say possesses qualities of a natural leader, said he shares President David Granger’s vision for the greening and economic development of the capital city, and is ready to run for the mayoral office, even as internal mayoral elections have begun at municipalities countrywide.
“I’m in – I feel beyond humbled that I have the full support of my party and constituency as I pursue the leadership of the municipality of Georgetown, realising the democratic process of local government,” Duncan stated.

Ever since he took office as deputy mayor, Duncan has been unreserved in voicing his concerns over matters and decisions which seemed to have a negative and massive impact on business and life in the Garden City.
Matters of accountability, transparency and inclusive decision-making have come between him and Mayor Patricia Chase-Green, who is from the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) side of the coalition. Duncan is from the Alliance For Change (AFC) component.
Duncan and Chase-Green had contested Local Government Elections on a joint APNU+AFC ticket in March this year, and he said his decision was influenced by his desire for building ‘a better city’ for future generations.

“When I contended in LGE last March, it was because I wanted a better city for my boys, Jon and Ethan, the next generation represented in them and I got involved for all the residents of Georgetown,” Duncan said.
However, he pointed out that disappointments and wrong decisions have for the last few months taken the municipality “in the wrong direction as a city.”
Duncan said he stands firmly upon the vision of the APNU+AFC government for massive economic development in the city.

“President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, David Granger, has set his government’s vision for capital towns as engines for economic development of the regions of which they are the nucleus. I am of the view that Georgetown as our national capital city of Guyana needs, more than any other municipality, to realign itself away from what President Granger calls the “compound mentality” towards a “capital mentality” and economic mentality,” the deputy mayor stated.
Moving away means refusing to display “control rather than consultation and collaboration with residents” and “moving beyond providing traditional municipal services,” Duncan explained, and added “The new emphasis should be on promoting business, driving economic development and giving leadership to our regions.”

He said in adopting the commercial mentality, infrastructure, investment, innovation, information and communication technology are central in fostering stronger and more balanced economies necessary for economic growth within the framework of a green economy.
“In aligning ourselves strategically within the framework of central government’s view of capital towns as growth drivers within a green economy, City Hall must pursue several core initiatives which, over the next year, will see us more fiscally responsible, streamline our services offered for efficiency, retool our workers for greater productivity and engage civil society and the private sector towards partnerships; synergies for success,” Duncan said.

He said he looks forward to developing mutual understanding with residents of Georgetown and businesses to arrive at a common understanding of ways to move Georgetown forward.
“I believe that greater things are still to be done in this city, so I look forward to continue engaging city residents and businesses in the coming hours and days on these ideas and how together we can move Georgetown forward,” Sherod Duncan said.