Dear Editor,
Whenever I read a missive appearing in the letters columns under the signature of the Georgetown Municipality’s Public Relations Officer, two questions always emerge in my mind.
First, I always wonder whether these letters are indeed authored by her, and truly a reflection of her values, beliefs and perspicacity or whether she is merely disseminating the propaganda her superiors would like her to.
Second, I am concerned as to whether this lady has lost touch with reality and living in a dream world in which everything is always magnificent in our capital city.
She has dispatched a response to recent concerns expressed by the Movement Against Parking Meters (MAPM) organisation, and her response evidently highlights the high level of intolerance to criticism by the administration of the Council. It is clear that they are very panicky about the prospect of the MAPM looking at the serious concerns that civil society has on issues outside the scandalous parking meter fiasco, and because of their awareness of the militancy and efficacy of the MAPM.
There is no need for the MAPM to spin a negative narrative against the purported attempts by the Council to make Georgetown a better place for all as she claims. The Mayor and Town Clerk are doing an amazing job of doing this all by themselves.
She speaks of the Town Clerk as if he is some imperial overlord or deity. She speaks reverently about the powers, duties, and responsibilities of the Town Clerk as though he is superior to the Councillors, the Council itself and laws of Guyana.
Could she state precisely which and what standing order rules of the Municipal and District Councils Act, chapter 28:01 were breached by receiving and placing the motion by Councillor Sherod Duncan on the Council’s agenda. And could she point to the authority that the Mayor is cloaked with that allows her as chairperson of the meeting to disallow the motion from being examined and determined by the full Council?
This march of folly must be stopped and stopped now.
Best regards,
Sambu Jacobus
