The Georgetown Mayor and City Council today passed a resolution objecting to the seizure and reclassification of 22 city streets, citing alleged breaches of the Municipal and District Council Act.
The resolution was approved in the absence of the 11 People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Councilors, who did not attend an emergency meeting called for this morning.
The move comes one day after News Source reported that the Government gazetted a Ministerial Order late last week, taking control of 22 streets that were under the authority of the Georgetown Mayor and City Council.
Addressing the 30-member Council during an extraordinary statutory meeting, City Mayor Alfred Mentore said the Order breaches the Municipal and District Council Act and that the Council was never consulted.
Under the Act, Mentore noted, the Council controls all municipal property, including roads, streets, and parks.
“Under Section 301, the Council is responsible for the control, care and management of all streets, and parapets within the city. Any unilateral action to seize or reclassify these streets undermines the lawful authority of the council,” the Mayor said.
Mentore argued there is no provision in the Act that allows Central Government to assume control of municipal roads without due legal process.
He warned the Mayor said the “illegal” takeover is intended to undermine the City Council and could have far-reaching effects.
“The removing roads from Council’s control may impact budgeting, maintenance, planning and revenue collection, and that in itself would impact significantly on how the council does its business,” Mentore said. “It also speaks of having the Government operating as a parallel council… and it also speaks to if we do not stand firm… is the Government next going to say… we are going to start pick up the rates and taxes.”
While Central Government has assisted previously with repairs to city streets, Mentore said this does not amount to authority over the roads.
“Repairs do not confer ownership or authority,” he said, arguing that earlier administrations repaired roads across Guyana and that maintenance alone cannot transfer control.
The Mayor said the Council cannot allow the takeover to proceed unchecked and must challenge it.
APNU Councillor Lelon Saul described the Ministerial Order as an affront to local governance and participatory democracy, warning it could cripple the Council’s ability to generate revenue.
“The Central Government has unilaterally reclassified these thoroughfares without a whisper of consultation. But what is the motive?” Saul asked, noting that the thoroughfares were revenue-generating assets and that removing jurisdiction could mean losing critical income streams.
Deputy Mayor Denise Miller said the seizure and reclassification marks the beginning of what she called a hostile takeover of the city by Central Government.
During proceedings, the Town Clerk had warned it would be unfair to move a motion without prior notice, but the Mayor and Councillors proceeded, stating the item would be treated as a resolution placed on the floor. The resolution directs the Council to write to Government formally, even as it seeks legal advice.
