PPP/C Georgetown councillors reveal

PEOPLE’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) councillors have rubbished the narrative that central government is not willing to work with the Mayor and City Council (M&CC) because it is A Partnership for National Unity (APNU)-controlled, highlighting instead that the council is “financially paralysed.”
Referring to the Stabroek News’ editorial published on Thursday, titled “Hopeless,” the councillors decided to set the record straight and reiterate that central government is not withholding resources from City Hall.

“This narrative, propagated by some corners of the media, not least by the pundits at Stabroek News, is incorrect and neglects the fundamental issues,” they said.
Alarmingly, the PPP’s councillors revealed that the M&CC does not have a treasurer.
They related: “Is Stabroek News aware that Ms. Edwana Miller, acting City Treasurer, has retired? Are they aware that the APNU-led council has yet to appoint even an interim treasurer, which brings the city’s ability to conduct financial transactions to a standstill?” adding that the retirement of Miller was not an unforeseen event and the council had ample warning and yet displayed a stark disinterest.

Highlighting the current financial status of the M&CC, they said that for a number of years there has been no comprehensive audit, and the budget for 2023 was submitted late. It was not submitted until August of this year.
With the budget being presented long after it was due, they said: “This negligence renders any potential financial support from the central government not only baseless but utterly speculative.”

Regarding the 2024 budget, the councillors said despite the legal stipulation for the finance committee to have completed this process by November of the previous year, there has been no indication of any progress or commencement of such an essential task.
Labelling the recurring financial issues as “alarming,” it was also revealed that the management of market fees collection is a fiasco shaped by the lack of accountability.
The PPP/C councillors then stripped the “front” that APNU councillors want to unite, and remarked: “… Actions speak louder than words, and the refusal to appoint a PPP councillor to a position such as vice-chair of the finance committee speaks volumes about the true intentions of the PNC-led City Council,” while adding that the Stabroek News’ editorial glossed over the composition of the council’s committees.

Pointing out the failure at M&CC to update their asset register, the Georgetown PPP councillors blasted the editorial for not enquiring into that matter.
Owing to the absence of such a key factor, they said: “This lapse has left the M&CC blind to the extent and value of its holdings—a staggering oversight for over 18 years. Without a recent and comprehensive forensic audit, it would be highly imprudent for central government to allocate taxpayers’ funds to a bottomless pit of administrative incompetence that the M&CC represents.”

With the shortcomings of the APNU-controlled M&CC, the PPP/C government has not ignored this and instead, President, Dr. Irfaan Ali along with other government officials are directly engaging with councillors and crafting tangible plans to alleviate the immediate concerns of citizens.
“The financial governance of the M&CC is not just a matter of local administration—it is a broader issue that affects every citizen and taxpayer,” they said.