Dr. Jagdeo says; affirms people of Georgetown will not be neglected

ONCE again rubbishing the claims that central government is depriving City Hall of resources, the General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, revealed that the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) controlled Mayor and City Council (M&CC) lacks accountability and transparency.
Dr. Jagdeo, during a press conference on Thursday, highlighted the one-sided nature of a Stabroek News editorial published under the title, “Hopeless,” which attempted to criticise President, Dr. Irfaan Ali’s meeting with residents of Georgetown.

“The President will continue to visit communities. We will continue to work with people,” Dr. Jagdeo emphasised.
He then firmly stated: “… the residents of the city deserve to see the progress that is happening in other parts of the country.”
With the council’s asset register not being updated for over 20 years, the PPP General Secretary said that this concerning matter is not being given enough attention.
Explaining the importance of an asset register when it comes to ensuring accountability and financial responsibility, he said that one can tell the state of affairs at City Hall with the prolonged periods without audited statements.

Dr. Jagdeo then highlighted that the organisation did not have a budget for the entirety of 2023. While the budget was supposed to be presented since November 2022, the PPP General Secretary said he was informed it was until September of this year that City Hall put forth a budget.
With M&CC exposing their lack of transparency and accountability, he said: “…You expect us to hand them money to do a road or canal….. Our experience has been if you hand them money they [will] spend it on something else, but not the road or the canal.”
According to Dr. Jagdeo, because of this behavioural pattern by the M&CC, central government has undertaken certain responsibilities to ensure that Georgetown does not collapse.
With billions of dollars being expended on every road in the city, and US$15 million spent to build a garbage site outside of Georgetown, among other things, Dr. Jagdeo said that the M&CC has demonstrated its true nature.

Despite the naysayers, the PPP General Secretary maintained that their chants will not deter the President or other government officials from directly engaging the people.
Last week Friday, President Ali met with scores of Georgetown residents who showed him the neglect of their communities by the M&CC.
For over 27 years now, the City Council has been dominated by the People’s National Congress (PNC). However, notwithstanding the PNC’s dominance, the PPP has been incrementally making significant inroads in Georgetown, as well as a number of other traditional PNC strongholds.