– no meeting since formation of committee

DESPITE the formation of a seven-member committee last month to facilitate the handing over of the Sophia community to the Mayor and City Council (M&CC), its chairman Akeem Peter said that the body is still to convene its first meeting. The members are Councillors Clayton Hinds, Dion Younge, Param Persaud, Alfred Mentore, Patricia Chase-Green. with Councillor Eketa Edwards as vice-chairman.

Georgetown Mayor Ubraj Narine, at City Hall’s most recent statutory meeting, asked for an update on the matter, with Councillor Peter responding with the afore-mentioned. The mayor asked if the town clerk’s office had dispatched a letter to the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) informing that agency about the formation of the committee. Acting Town Clerk Sharon Harry could not recall and said she needed to make a check.

This prompted the mayor to opine that communication was lacking at the administrative level, between the town clerk’s office and the municipalities’ various departments. The committee ‘s formation follows a request by the CH&PA for a formal handing-over date.

At a previous statutory meeting, Chairman of the Finance Committee, Councillor Oscar Clarke, accused the CH&PA of attempting to rush the matter, and cautioned that there are a number of implications that must be considered. The councillor said the matter should first be considered internally before a date is fixed, and suggested that the sub-committee be formed.

The CH&PA had indicated its desire to hand over Constituencies Five and Six (Cummings Lodge to Sophia) to the M&CC before the end of 2018, but officers at the council had expressed concern over such an announcement due to the City Council’s cash-strapped state.

Former Mayor Chase-Green noted that there are many homes in those areas that do not pay taxes to the council. “But when they are handed over, it is now our responsibility to provide garbage collection, street lights, roads, water,” she said and noted, “Whatever it is that council has that core responsibility for, we will have to provide. How do we get more money for the expenses?”

Currently, the Sophia area is not benefitting from any of the services provided by the M&CC; hence, for years, basic amenities such as water and electricity could not be extended to residents of North Pattensen, North Sophia, Block ‘R’ Extension and other communities.

The CH&PA had proposed to hand over the communities on December 17, 2017, but was unsuccessful in its attempt to do so.