… about Mae’s private businessman’s arrangement with town clerk

CITY Councillors recently heard that Mae’s Schools in Georgetown made a donation of $100,000 to the Mayor and City Council (M&CC) towards upgrading of the Farnum Playfield.

But Mayor Patricia Chase-Green said over and over at the Council meeting that she had no knowledge of the money.

Councillor Bishram Kuppen raised the issue, noting that Councillor Carlyle Goring collected the money from Mae’s. He also disclosed how he was in receipt of information that a businessman spent another $2.6M to upgrade the said ground.

The mayor again denied knowledge of any arrangement with a businessman.
Kuppen observed that the Council had no record of any of the moneys and no work plan was in the records either. He said he cautioned Goring about receiving moneys on behalf of the council without passing it through council records.

“I don’t know of anyone bringing $2.6M to the council. Whoever wants to make a donation through councillors have to do it at the level of council,” Kuppen expressed.

Town Clerk Royston King said he was aware that Goring solicited the assistance of a businessman to upgrade the ground, but was not sure that the works amounted to $2.6M. He said he was also aware that the ‘Rodrigues’ family gave $100,000, but that could be found in council records.

Mayor Chase-Green said at the most recent meeting, which she attended with other city officials, that this information was not presented.

Earlier this year, King created quite a stir when he signed an agreement with the owner of Mae’s Schools for that institution to use the Farnum Playfield and also to repair and upgrade it, without the consent of the M&CC.

The Council had subsequently ordered an immediate cessation of works being carried out by the school on the premises.