By Mark DaCosta- Mayor of the City of Georgetown, Pandit Ubraj Narine, addressed the people of Guyana via a live stream on his Facebook page on May 31. The broadcast – which lasted some 54 minutes – was evidently unscripted and off-the-cuff. The Mayor touched on numerous issues ahead of Local Government Elections scheduled for June 12. Narine, who is not running for reelection, made several revelations, observations, and points.
During the broadcast, the mayor said that while he is currently outside of Guyana, and had not planned to campaign for LGE, he feels compelled to speak out. Mayor Narine – who appeared to be somber and concerned – opened the broadcast by saying that he hopes that the people of Georgetown are “thinking on the right track.” The mayor voiced the following points, and concerns:
- “The PPP is part and parcel of the problems in Georgetown,” as such, he expressed concern that citizens of the city – including his “African brothers and sisters” are campaigning for the People’s Progressive Party (PPP).
- Alluding to the last mayor, Ms. Patricia Chase-Green, from whom he took over the office in 2019, he said that he notes that she has crossed the floor, and is now running for a seat on the Georgetown city council. He expressed surprise that after being in the system for some 19 years, Ms. Chase-Green would join the PPP. Further, he said that Ms. Chase-Green had been a city Councillor, deputy mayor, and mayor, and now she is again running for a seat on the council. The mayor opined that Ms. Chase-Green should “let the city breathe,” and let young people get a chance to serve on the city council.
- The Mayor noted that when he inherited the office from Chase-Green, he inherited a corrupt system. He said that the current council took over some $5 billion dollars in liabilities. He noted that despite the PPP regime’s determined actions to cripple the Georgetown city council – because the opposition APNU+AFC Coalition has a majority – the council still managed to pay off about half of the inherited debt.
- The mayor noted some of the means that the PPP government uses to cripple the council. He said that budgetary subventions were withheld, the PPP controlled local government commission (LGC) is used to undermine the legal authority of the council, property valuations are not being done by the central government which results in City Hall not being able to collect rates and taxes. The mayor said, too, that the 7 PPP councillors – although they sit on committees, including the vital finance committee – do not attend committee meetings.
- Mayor Narine Mentioned garbage collection. He noted that the PPP is using disinformation about the matter for campaign purposes. He said that a campaign video being circulated by the PPP shows garbage on the seawall. The mayor informed his audience that the Mayor and City Council (M&CC) no longer has any say in the seawall area, because the PPP government took control of that area. He said that the vendors at the seawall pay monies to the Ministry of Public Works, not to the M&CC.
- He pointed out that the PPP is very good at spreading disinformation and propaganda. “They have a propaganda machine,” Mayor Narine said.
- Still on the subject of garbage collection, the mayor revealed that the PPP government had engaged private contractors to collect garage from the city’s schools, however, he said, the contractors are not doing so, and the M&CC is doing that job even though the PPP regime had refused to engage with the council on the issue
- The mayor spoke of lands being taken away from City Hall, by the PPP regime, and given to the cronies of central government. He noted that the Marriott hotel was built on land that belonged to the City of Georgetown, he said that the PPP seized that land. He mentioned, too, a similar situation regarding land on Sheriff Street being taken away from City Hall and given to Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI). He said that even the little bits of land owned by the people of Georgetown is being taken away by the ruling regime.
- Mayor Narine spoke of many instances of corruption; he pointed to the parking meter project. He said that when he took office he realised that the entire program was corrupt, as such, he took a hands off approach, and did not get involved in the contaminated project.
- The mayor spoke about the lengths to which the PPP regime has gone to “stifle” the council. He said that at the beginning of his tenure there were two cashiers at the rates and taxes collection department of City Hall. The mayor said that he realised that two additional cashiers were needed to better serve the public. He said that the council interviewed people for the positions and submitted the names of successful applications to the LGC. But, he said, the LGC refused to hire two more cashiers.
The mayor related that the situation remains the same with two cashiers struggling to do the job. Narine questioned, how can the council do its job without the power to hire staff. Mayor Narine touched on personal attacks against him by the PPP regime. He said that his personal security guard was repeatedly withdrawn by the central government. Alsp, the fuel facility for his vehicle was interrupted by the PPP regime. The mayor pointed out the low depths to Which the ruling regime is willing to go.
- Throughout the broadcast Mayor Narine spoke of the corrupt dealings of the PPP. For example, he said that the PPP is blatantly using state resources in the ongoing LGE campaign. Among other things, he said that at least one vehicle owned by a NDC is being used for PPP work after the NDC’s logo was removed.
- Mayor Narine mentioned the Mahdia Tragedy, He said that “20 of our children died; ministers should resign, even the whole government should resign.”
Throughout the broadcast, the mayor encouraged Guyanese – particularly young people – to go out and vote for the APNU on June 12. Because, he said, the PPP must never be allowed to control the Municipality of Georgetown.
The Mayor closed by saying, “God bless the City of Georgetown; God bless Guyana.”
