…and M&CC’s Gang of Four
The outrage at City Hall just won’t go away, will it? It won’t, for the simple reason that the fundamental issue isn’t just the arrogant actions of the Gang of Four, but the mindset which their actions betray. These are people who believe to the depth of their dark souls, they can “do what they want with us”.
It’s like the “Lord of the Manor” feudal days. Those fellas revelled in “droit du seigneur” (“right of the lord”) – their “right” to “have their way” with the brides of their vassals on their wedding night. Legally, it was a kind of tax! Well, from what the Gang of Four have signalled, it’s clear they’re determined to “have their way” with not just nubile brides, but every one of us who live or visit the city – man, woman and child. We’re screwed not just for one night – but for every night and day over the next three years.
So where’d they get off with this kind of attitude? It’s not only the title of the head of the Gang of Four – The Lord Mayor – or the name of her chief facilitator – first name being “Roy” meaning “King” in French where it is spelt “Roi” and second name being ” King” which is self-explanatory. No…this kind of thinking goes back to the sickness of ethnic politics, where supposedly ELECTED officials know, no matter what they do…the same people they screw will vote them back into office for some more (royal) screwing.
So we can have a Mayor who says Central Government has NO authority to examine her decision on the Parking Meter scandal – but Central Government MUST bail the City out for overspending during Jubilee…Ooops!…a half billion dollars or so! And no…they can’t provide details publicly as to which contract was awarded to whom for what. Well, they do say, consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, nuh?
And even though the Municipal Act requires it, they won’t release the details of their spending in their last Budget –- to the citizens of the city. Said they’ve shown the numbers to the Minister of Communities – and that’s enough. Why bother about the law? It’s all in the family, isn’t it? And that should probably also explain the head of the City’s Finance Committee – old-time PNC executive Oscar Clark citing a colleague’s example as precedent for his saying he has nothing to apologise for. Isn’t that like…bootstrapping?
So once again, we give “a tip of the hat” to Dep Mayor Sherod Duncan for having the guts to say:
“The Lord Mayor and her King aren’t wearing any clothes!”
…on Carifesta Ave
Now the “Lord of the Manor mindset” certainly isn’t confined to the GM&CC. In fact, the “higher” you go in administrative structures, the stronger’s the compulsion to screw everyone else –- as a matter of right. And in Guyana, notwithstanding the Local Government statutory changes, the Central Government’s still hierarchically “higher” than the Municipalities.
So we have the Central Government unilaterally widening a city street – Carifesta Ave, creating a raised median and installing street lights. Why? Did the City request this? No. Did higher traffic usage demand this? No. Were vehicular crashes occurring there? Not apart from the one SOCU high-speed chase – the discussion of which is grist for another mill.
So what’s the scoop for spending $200M while Region 5’s under water for three months – and could’ve been fixed for $50M? Well…Duh!! CARICOM’s Heads of Government (HOGS) will be meeting here on July 4th and the Lord of the Manor decided Carifesta Ave’s now gonna be:
“Ave of the Caribbean”!
… on a sacred cow
A habitué of the letters pages, Craig Sylvester, accused a comparative newbie, Wendell Jeffrey, of being out of line for daring to criticise departing American diplomat Brian Hunt.
Doesn’t Jeffrey know the latter’s an ex officio “Lord of the Manor”?
