Mayor has deliberately omitted key facts in an attempt to mislead citizens

Dear Editor,
In response to Mayor Mentore’s letter dated September 15th and titled, “Paltry Central Government Subvention to City is Insult to Citizens”, I seek to clarify and highlight the facts omitted from the mayor’s narrative regarding Government’s interventions in Georgetown.
For decades, the Mayor and City Council (M&CC) has been plagued by chronic misappropriation of funds, a glaring lack of accountability and transparency, and gross mismanagement, among other persistent issues.
Mayor Mentore’s criticism of the amount of money allocated to the M&CC via Government subvention is particularly disingenuous, given that the Fiscal Transfer Act clearly outlines the criteria for such allocations, including the requirement for a comprehensive audit of the Council’s finances.
Notably, it is only now —after six years — that this audit is being conducted, primarily due to concerns raised by the increased number of PPP councillors.
Further, Mr Mentore, as a former deputy mayor, had had numerous opportunities to advocate for an audit, but failed to do so.
Instead of addressing the ongoing mismanagement within the M&CC, Mayor Mentore often frames truthful discussions about the Council’s shortcomings as political grandstanding, rather than seizing them as opportunities to pursue meaningful solutions.
It is critical to acknowledge that Government subvention is far from the only support provided to the city. The current PPP/C government has consistently stepped in to support the citizens of Georgetown.
Firstly, despite inter-city streets being under M&CC jurisdiction, they are financed, maintained, and where previously non-existent, constructed by the Ministry of Public Works.
Secondly, the desilting of major canals is undertaken by the Ministry of Agriculture through the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA), which is also building a new pump station at Liliendaal to improve drainage in South Georgetown.
Additionally, the NDIA supplies fuel to all M&CC-controlled pump stations. The Ministry of Health provides crucial assistance to Council-run health centres with medications and staffing. Government has also taken on the desilting of internal drains and the construction of footpaths to improve accessibility, following consultations with local residents.
Further, the Ministry of Culture, Youth, and Sport is upgrading and rehabilitating 34 grounds throughout Georgetown. Are all these efforts included in the $30 million subvention? These interventions, representing billions of dollars, underscore the extensive investment Government has made in responsibilities that should ideally be handled by the M&CC.
As recently articulated by Minister Anand Persaud, the subvention aims to bring direct relief to citizens, and this is reflecting the PPP/C’s commitment to Georgetown’s development.
Essentially, the public recognizes the importance of visionary and strategic resource management to ensure sustainable short-, medium-, and long-term benefits for the city. This approach is being manifested before our eyes, which explains ongoing public support for the current administration.
His Excellency President Irfaan Ali recently unveiled massive plans, in partnership with the Kings County Foundation, to further transform Georgetown through an innovative urban plan, demonstrating a continued willingness to collaborate with the M&CC on this venture.
As a PPP/C councillor, I remain committed to working with my fellow councillors and advocating for ongoing development through all available Government channels for the betterment of Georgetown and its residents.

Sincerely,
Steven Jacobs
PPP/C councillor