Councillor complains about lack of transparency at City Hall

Councillor Ron Persaud has written to Georgetown Mayor Patricia Chase Green, requesting a retreat of all Councillors to address the growing lack of transparency in financial matters at the Georgetown municipality.

Persaud, in a letter dated January 24, 2018, said that during the consideration of 2018’s revenue and expenditure, the Finance Committee had difficulty in obtaining information “in a timely and transparent manner.” In this case, he referred to the difficulties Councillors had in accessing the controversial Parking Meter Contract and notes that the information was only made available after several requests and debates.
Persaud pointed out in his letter that “The Liability Statement as at December 31, 2017, was only made available after several requests and debates. This statement showed a liability of close to three billion dollars.”
“What is worrying to Councillors is that we were asked to consider statements without detailed notes. The unwillingness and sloth displayed by the Administration requires Council to respond deliberately and swiftly,” the letter added.
Persaud, a businessman himself, said the liability statement needs to be more detailed since most of the debt was incurred during the tenure of the current Council. He further related that at the commencement of their term, there was a positive bank balance of over $180 million and the liability statements indicates they have expended that.
“This statement therefore tells me that we have expended more than around six million dollars per day above all incoming funds. We are now at a point where we have to address how to close the gap and secure more funding to alleviate this backlog. Drastic measures must be taken so that we don’t preside over a failed Council term. My suggestion is we have a retreat of all Councillors with a view to addressing and arresting this situation,” Persaud said.
When contacted, Mayor Chase Green indicated that she is just the “political head” of the Council and that Town Clerk Royston King would be responsible for addressing the issue. However, she noted that the report from that meeting and all other meetings, for January, of the Finance Committee is yet to be presented to her.
However, efforts to contact King proved futile. City Hall is in the process of fine-tuning their 2018 Budget for presentation at a date to be announced.