– but still owes over $46M

AFTER issuing the Guyana Public Service Cooperative Credit Union (GPSCCU) a bounced check earlier this year, the Georgetown Mayor and City Council (M&CC) still owes the Union over $46M in unremitted dues.

And, in what sounds like a case of bold-faced robbery, several vendors have claimed that their goods and other properties were seized and not returned.

These and other claims such as non-payment of pension benefits, and victimisation by Town Clerk Royston King came to the fore on Friday when the Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into the operations of City Hall continued at the Critchlow Labour College on Woolford Avenue.

A number of vendors and staff presented before COI Chairman and sole commissioner, Retired Justice Cecil Kennard.

According to GPSCCU accountant, Abeola Griffith, the M&CC has not paid the Union any of the monies it deducted from the pay of some 300 employees for the period of January to September 2018.

She said that in June, the M&CC did attempt to pay, by cheque to the value of $5M, monies owing for January 2018, but the cheque never cleared.

Griffith explained that the unremitted dues would make it difficult for Council employees to borrow money from the Union, since, according to the rules, any member three months or more in arrears is probited from doing so.

Earlier this year, one employee reportedly applied for, and was granted, permission to cancel his Union deductions from his salary, and instead opted to pay his dues independently. Griffith said that while this option is available, it is not the favoured one.

GOODS CONFISCATED
Carol Carter and Carol Stephens, both vendors, detailed how their goods were confiscated by Council workers without justifiable reasons, while re-migrant Patrick John detailed how his food caravan was illegally seized by the town clerk and left to rot.

One of the first persons on the day’s list to give evidence was Desree Dey, a vendor, who were among those that had their stalls demolished on King’s instruction back in 2015. Dey labelled King’s actions tyrannical, and likened him unto Ugandan dictator, Idi Amin.

Carter, who trades mainly in clothing and footwear, told how, without just reason, over $400,000 worth of her goods were seized over two years ago by a Market Clerk and never returned. She said she received a letter from the town clerk promsing to look into the matter, but that to date she is still trying to figure out what happened to her goods.

Carter believes what is happening to her may be in retaliation for being the Vice- President of the Market Vendors Union, which she and other vendors formed after a prior situation.
According to Carter, her issue with the Council first started back in 2015, when she was allotted a space to sell at the Stabroek Market, and was eventually asked to voluntarily move to another spot, but refused. Since then, she says, she has been constantly targetted.

“When the Deputy Clerk of Markets take over,” she said, “he gave me permission to build a stall. Lo and behold, when I build the stall, the next day they came and remove the stall; Clerk of Market staff came and took it back by their office.

“I went over to the City Constabulary to see Royston King; I told him what happen. He said to come back the next day.

“I went back, and I just keep going back. I wrote to all the Councillors; I wrote to the Mayor, and up to now, the stall is not replaced.

“After I wasn’t getting nowhere with this, we decided to form this Union.”

NEVER RETURNED
Carter was never given back her stand, and was no longer allowed to vend at the location. She then began vending at another location; one at the Stabroek Market belonging to her parents. It was here that she again ended up in a situation with the Council.
Carter said that in September 2016, she left a friend to watch over the stand while she went off to conduct some business, and that while she was gone, Council members came in and detained her goods.

Said she: “Up to a day like today; up to now they can’t get back to me about my goods! Not one piece up to now! Over two years!

“I went again to Mr. King. Mr King have me like a yo-yo: Go come, go come! I wrote him, and he wrote me back a letter that he will look into it. It was very hard, because it was a financial strain on me. I had to work back my way and buy back some goods to get it sell, because I have a family to support.”

Not yet done, Carter said: “The revenue staff come… the stall was covered… raised up the tarpauling and take away most of my goods that I paid my rent for; take it away to the back.

“So I went and asked what is the reason they removed my goods. The Clerk of Market let me know that he don’t have time; very arrogant.”

SIMILAR STORY
Stephens had a similar tale of unreturned goods, but her confrontations started when she got into a disagreement with popular Regent Street businessman, Hugh October.
According to Stephens, she used to vend on Regent Street, between Camp and Alexander Streets, and at some point her husband got into a confrontation with October, after which she was summoned to City Hall by King.

While there, she said, she saw October exiting King’s office, and moments later she received a call saying that City Council workers swooped in and took her goods and dismantled her stand.

“We came out and two constables from the Bourda outpost came to me and said Mr. King wants to see me,” Stephens said. “I went down to see Mr. King, and I see Mr. October there. Mr King secretary asked us to sit outside and wait. I observed Mr. October go in to see Mr. King; ten minutes after the secretary come out and said Mr. King can no longer see us; if we can come back 1pm.”

According to her, she then went to see Minister of Communities, Ronald Bulkan immediately after, and that it was while there that she received a call.

“The girl I leave at the stall call me and say that October bring back some men at the stall, and they break up everything,” Stephens recalled.

“I told her to take videos of the scene. I went back and see Mr. King for 1pm, and the secretary come back and say no vending can’t pass; nothing can’t happen there anymore.”