‘We can’t allow the city to deteriorate’ – VP Jagdeo says

–  as M&CC continues to neglect its waste management duties

–  task Force established to address garbage collection in the city

Vice President Dr Bharrat Jagdeo has declared that central government will not allow the city and its surroundings to deteriorate while the People’s National Congress/Reform (PNC/R)-led Mayor & City Council (M&CC) continues to fail in delivering basic services, especially garbage collection.

He launched a scathing attack on the city council for its poor management and lack of accountability, in light of concerns about the city’s current poor state.

According to Dr Jagdeo, the City Council has been collecting significant revenue, including a container fee that has brought in over $2 billion in nine years. However, the council has not provided its financial statements to show where the money is being expended.

“Every month, they get $25 to $30 million in a cheque; that’s $300 million [and] you don’t even hear about it,” the VP told reporters at a press conference held at Freedom House, Georgetown.

Despite the council generating revenues from initiatives like these, Dr Jagdeo said they continue to neglect responsibilities like road maintenance, drainage, and recreational facilities.

He believes that the current state of the city, which has tons of garbage pileups, is deliberately allowed by the council to shift blame to the PPP government, especially in an election season. In the meantime, VP Jagdeo said a task force, comprising public, private, and civil society representatives will be established to clean up Georgetown and address the garbage woes.

“They know it’s election time, so they just leave everything on the street… like what they were trying to do by trying to increase the valuation for properties in Georgetown,” he stated.

Notwithstanding this, Dr Jagdeo, who is also the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) general secretary, reminded that the government has invested billions to upgrade thoroughfares in the various communities. Additionally, some 100,000 street lights have been procured and will soon be installed across communities.

In sport, significant resources have been expended to upgrade and rehabilitate more than 30 sport grounds from Agricola on the East Bank of Demerara to Cummings Lodge on the East Coast Demerara.

Contracts have also been awarded to individuals to clean internal drainages, a responsibility that normally falls under the purview of the M&CC.

“Had it not been for [the] Central Government’s massive injection into the city, this would have been a very different place…we cannot allow the city to deteriorate,” the vice president declared.

He also revealed that the government is making true to its promise as contracts have been awarded to 60 small contractors to upgrade the Le Repentir Cemetery. It has been the final resting place for citizens of Georgetown and was first established in 1861.

“We [will] do the drainage…then you would have lights in the cemetery so people can drive through. And then hopefully we can do other things to upgrade this cemetery [like to] plant some trees into that area,” he told reporters.