…Ubraj Narine elected Mayor of Georgetown

PROMISING to “lead by example” and to provide residents of Georgetown with services that are “uncompromisingly excellent,” Pandit Ubraj Narine was on Friday morning voted mayor-elect at City Hall.
Narine’s fellow, ‘A Partnership for National Unity’ (APNU) Councillor Alfred Mentore, was chosen as deputy mayor-elect.

While the new council will take effect from January 1, 2019, the ‘old’ Council, headed by Mayor Patricia Chase-Green, will continue to sit until December 31, 2018.
Narine, representing Constituency One (Alberttown, Kingston, Queenstown, Cummingsburg, Thomas Lands and Non Pareil Park), is a “proud” member of the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR).

The father of one was nominated by Councillor Ivelaw Henry during the mayoral elections; this was seconded by Chase-Green. Twenty-one councillors voted in favour of Narine’s nomination; six voted against; and two abstained.

New People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Councillor Dion Younge rose to nominate fellow PPP Councillor Bishram Kuppen to the mayoral chair; this was seconded by another PPP Councillor Nalissa Ferguson. Kuppen, however, received only six votes, while 21 councillors voted against his nomination and two abstained.

APNU Councillor Gregory Fraser nominated Mentore for the post of deputy mayor and this was seconded by Councillor Yvonne Ferguson.
Alliance For Change (AFC) Councillor Ayodele Roache nominated her fellow AFC Councillor Michael Leonard for deputy mayor, but this nomination fell through because no other councillor seconded her nomination.

Kuppen nominated Younge, and Nalissa Ferguson seconded this nomination.
Twenty-two councillors voted for Mentore, though; six against him; and one abstained. Six voted for Younge and 23 against him.
Meanwhile, each member of the new council was sworn in by Acting Town Clerk Sharon Harry, while pledging with their right hands up and left hand clutching the religious book of their choice (Bible, Koran, and Bhagavad Gita).

The APNU councillors sworn in apart from Narine and Mentore, were David Allicock, Eon Bollers, Oscar Clarke, Eketa Edwards, Dexter Forte, Cynthia Stewart, Mark Griffith, Clayton Hinds, John Vanveen, Akeem Peter, Ivelaw Henry, Gregory Fraser, Shonelle Smith-Daniels, Heston Bostwick, Yvonne Ferguson, Chase-Green, Trichria Richards, Denroy Tudor, and Cilesia Hall.

The PPP Councillors sworn in were Bishram Kuppen, Coleen Sampson, Dion Younge, Nalissa Ferguson, Dimitri Ali, and Param Persaud. The seventh PPP councillor, Patrick De Santos, was unable to attend yesterday’s proceedings and will be sworn in at a later date.
The two AFC councillors sworn in were 10-year-old Adodele Roache and Michael Leonard.

Return of Democracy
Minister of Social Protection Amna Ally, who sat through the swearing-in ceremony and the mayoral elections, said in congratulatory remarks that she was happy to witness the return of democracy that citizens of Georgetown struggled to realise over two decades.
“We must be proud of this moment,” she offered, adding, “It’s not APNU, PPP or AFC – it is Georgetown, Guyana.”

Minister Ally called on councillors to work collectively towards the development of Georgetown and ultimately, Guyana.
Mayor-elect Narine, a resident of Cummingsburg who has been the priest at the Maha Sabha in that area for the past 11 years, offered that the affairs of Georgetown must be managed in an honest, transparent and fair manner.

“We must speak to each other and reach across the aisle of politics, race, religion and creed and engage our thoughts and arrive at consensus,” he urged, adding, “In Georgetown, the environment must be protected; the residents must be given services that are uncompromisingly excellent; businesses must thrive and the young must be provided with opportunities for their talents and energies.”

Narine observed that challenges for the municipality at the moment include a ballooning budgetary deficit, late payment and non-payment of staff, debts mounting to hundreds of millions to private contractors, and struggles of collection of rates and taxes.
“The bitter campaign is over; the sweet challenges of hard work and cooperation must be embraced. To Volda Ann Lawrence, thank you for your faith in me and embarking me upon this journey. I endeavour from the first dawn of my brief tenure to be the chief citizen of Georgetown, leading by example for the good of all.”

The deputy mayor-elect pledged to build on the successes that have already been achieved, and to work on the areas that the City Council has fallen short on. He said his intention is to work hand in hand with the new mayor, and to work as a team.
Mentore thanked APNU for supporting his candidacy, especially Public Health Minister and Chairman of the PNC/R Volda Lawrence; along with his family and friends.

No additional burdens
APNU Councillor Ivelaw Henry told the Guyana Chronicle that he will be tackling the cleanliness of Georgetown, drainage and irrigation, the cleaning of alleyways, lighting in the city, and more interaction with vendors.
Councillor Bishram Kuppen said the PPP councillors will be looking to ensure that no additional burdens are placed on residents of Georgetown, whom he said are already overburdened.

“We plan to stand up for the rights of all citizens and to insist on accountability and transparency,” Kuppen noted, adding that they will also be seeking to ensure that responsible financial decisions are made, immediate action is taken to prevent flooding in Georgetown, and that the issue of non-payment to garbage contractors is resolved.
Kuppen said the PPP batch will also be looking to address the plight of vendors and look at improving security in the city. He recalled that he had called for a forensic audit to be done since back in 2016, and that he will be repeating that call in time.

Outgoing President of the Guyana Association of Municipalities, Carwyn Holland, offered that Narine’s ascension to office signals a new day for Georgetown and for the young people of Guyana. “It signals a new day for our democracy. I commend all the parties for taking part in local government elections,” he said.

Holland encouraged Narine to work in the interest of all Guyanese regardless of their political backgrounds, and urged councillors to become familiar with their roles and responsibilities, so that they can best represent their constituencies.
“At the end of the day, if the mayor fails, then it’s a reflection of the council failing; if the council fails, then it’s a reflection of the mayor failing. By extension, if you fail, then you will be failing the people who elected you,” Holland expressed.