– says central gov’t spent over $20 billion spent in Georgetown
General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party, Dr Bharrat Jagdeo has flayed the Mayor and City Council (M&CC) of Georgetown for its abject neglect of the city’s infrastructure.
Speaking at his weekly press conference at Freedom House on Thursday, the GS said that their track record demonstrates that they are not interested in the welfare of the city.
Dr Jagdeo was at the time responding to Mayor of Georgetown, Alfred Mentore’s letter in the local news, which purports that the government owes the city council some $6 billion in rates and taxes.
The GS dismissed this claim as a blatant lie and pointed out that it is the M&CC that owes various bodies significant funds.
“This city council owes GRA $2.1 billion. They owe NIS nearly $400 million. They are deducting from people, and not paying to NIS. The public works ministry has spent nearly $15 billion in the city, directly on roads and everywhere else. So, you can’t say we are starving the city,” the GS said.
He added that the council’s failure to act on fortifying and maintaining critical infrastructure in the capital city has prompted the intervention of central government.
Central government is spending some $500 million on sporting grounds in the city, and another $1 billion in drainage and irrigation works. This includes projects such as the construction of major outfalls like the Hope Canal, in Regions Three, Five and Six, and the rehabilitation and upgrade of 63 sluices and kokers.
Additionally, a new pumping station is being constructed at Liliendaal that will double the capacity to drain South Georgetown and Sophia among other areas. Amphibious equipment was also recently procured to help clean canals without disrupting the livelihoods of those living along the canals.
“We have spent over $20 billion in the city and it is counting all the time,” the general secretary affirmed.
The GS also pointed to the contracts totalling over $1 billion that were recently signed to undertake the rehabilitation of 29 roads in Sophia, through the Ministry of Public Works among other infrastructural interventions.
“We will continue to work to improve the lives of the people in Georgetown because we made a commitment to the people all over the country,” GS Jagdeo assured.