Mayor, APNU councillors boycott Manickchand-led meeting on improving sanitation in GT

Georgetown Mayor Alfred Mentore and councillors aligned with the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) this morning boycotted a meeting called by the Minister of Local Government and Regional Development Priya Manickchand to address the issue of sanitation and solid waste disposal in the capital city.

Manickchand on Sunday afternoon met with the mayor, councillors and the Chief Sanitation Officer of the City of Georgetown, where she expressed deep concern, disappointment and consternation over the current state of the city. The Minister emphasised that the present conditions in the city are completely unacceptable and stressed that sanitation services, solid waste disposal and garbage collection must be reliable, predictable, and effective.

Manickchand requested that a comprehensive plan for effective change be submitted to her by 11:00h today.

However, when the engagement was called, the Mayor and APNU councillors did not attend.

“Yesterday, the Mayor and some councillors accepted my invitation to meet today at 11am in a closed meeting to discuss a way forward for solid waste disposal in the city. This morning I asked that all councillors be invited so that I could benefit from the contribution of each Councillor and therefore the people who live in their respective constituency. At the last minute the Mayor declined the invitation he had already accepted. Notably, no APNU Councillor was present at the meeting. Those who came, received a call and hurriedly left the compound,” the minister disclosed in a social media post.

Against this backdrop, Manickchand contended that “it is clear the the Mayor and APNU councillors benefit in some way from a city that is approaching being inhabitable. This cannot continue.”

Manickchand further asserted that, “service to citizens must trump my desire to work tirelessly for a more collaborative effort between central Govt and the M&CC. The residents and users of the City must not be held hostage to poor politics. We have a duty to be responsive to the needs of our residents, users and visitors to Georgetown. And that duty will be honored.”