Minister of Communities, Ronald Bulkan is expected to present a proposal which will look at facilities provided for councils across the nine towns in Guyana. This was disclosed by Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman during Thursday’s Post-Cabinet Press Conference, in response to questions relating to complaints made by Deputy Mayor of Georgetown, Sherod Duncan of being sidelined by other City Hall officials.
According to reports, the Deputy Mayor said since assuming office on April 1, he has not been granted a vehicle or a driver but has instead been forced to do his duties around the city on a bicycle. Mayor, Patricia Chase-Green had told News Room that the Deputy Mayor’s Office does not come with certain benefits.
Trotman said, “I believe that the new era demands that the Deputy Mayor, not just for Georgetown, but all the Deputies, and in fact, the Chairmen and Chairpersons of all the Councils be given special facilities.”
Commenting on the broader challenges facing City Hall and its administration, the Minister described it as democracy at work.
He said “we see all of this as a development of our local democracy. Like the birthing of any process, it is never going to be in textbook fashion. It is never going to be static, it is going to be in fact quite exciting, and we would, where necessary, give guidance.”
However, that Government would “not intervene and instruct, and take over the process. It has to be allowed to flourish” he affirmed.
Trotman noted that “after many years of no local government elections, you are going to find there is confusion. You are going to find ‘today something is said, tomorrow something is done or is not done so all of this or the way I see it is part of the Council finding itself, finding its way and its identity, and going on to do well for the City.”
The Minister stated that Cabinet has already made some pronouncements on issues such as the ‘parking meter matter’ and the Attorney General has completed his report on the contract’s legality for the project, which will soon be brought to cabinet.
