Communities Minister Ronald Bulkan has written Georgetown Mayor, Patricia Chase-Green, informing that City Hall’s plan to convert green spaces into residential areas is against the vision of President David Granger.
“I remind you, in particular, of President David Granger’s exhortation to Council on 2017.03.30, that the authority of Council is derived directly from the people. The obverse of His Excellency’s stated observation is self-evident,” the letter, seen by News Room, stated.
Minister Bulkan also enclosed in the letter, “for your edification, reports by the media which accurately describe the policy positions and expectations of central government”.
In the correspondence dated January 29, 2018, the Minister asked that the Mayor provide what applicable actions the City Council contemplates or intends to perform on the Bel Air Park and the Farnum Playground matters, given the position of central government he has since articulated.
The Minister said the information would be helpful when he apprises Cabinet on the issue.
Minister Bulkan has chided the attempts of the Council to develop the area despite a court ruling which essentially blocked City Hall from leasing the land to a private developer for the construction of houses.
Reports indicate that houses were being built for top City Hall officials including the Mayor and the Town Clerk.
In a previous letter to the Mayor, Bulkan expressed that Cabinet was not in favour of the Council’s attempts to take over the playfield.
The Council had already begun tearing down trees and was in the process of erecting a fence when the disapproval was expressed by the subject minister.
His letter follows an appeal by the residents who filed legal proceedings against the Council from moving forward with their plans.
Given that City Hall was disobeying the court order, the residents through their lawyer Devindra Kissoon wrote Minister Bulkan requesting intervention.
Mayor Chase-Green has since accused the minister of interfering in local government affairs.
