City Council’s does not lack funding – Dr Jagdeo

Vice President Dr Bharrat Jagdeo has again rejected the PNC-controlled Mayor and City Council’s allegations of funding shortfalls, arguing that revenues earned are being used largely for their benefit rather than Georgetown’s development.

Since 2020, the ruling People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Administration has taken on infrastructure, waste collection, drainage and irrigation and beautification initiatives, which are typically falls under the City Hall’s responsibility.

As a matter of fact, the government has funded significant upgrades to 34 playgrounds from the Agricola on the East Bank Demerara to Cummings Lodge on the East Coast Demerara.

And so, Dr Jagdeo contended that, “If you examine their argument that we have starved the city of funds and that Georgetown is not experiencing development, you would see it’s false.”

The vice president, who also serves at general secretary of the PPP, made this remark at a press conference on Thursday, in response to a media briefing held by the PNC/R.

Additionally, he reminded reporters that the Council’s accounts have gone unaudited for years. Not only are they unaccountable, but they have granted prime municipal properties to PNC-linked entities like Maikwak, which has amassed over $6 billion in unpaid rates and taxes.

This, Dr Jagdeo noted, is two years’ worth of the council’s entire budget.

The PNC/R continues to deny that it owes city hall taxes in excessive of billions, despite evidence indicating otherwise.

“This one company that is a holding company for PNC properties, they never paid any taxes historically. That’s why the sums accumulated to such a vast amount. And they keep creating a smokescreen around what is so clear to everyone else… Imagine in April of 2025, they’re denying their ownership of this property (Maikwak) and their tax obligations,” he said, noting that the City Council’s failure to pursue this large debt.

Touching on the PNC/R’s proposed ‘modern taxation system”, the general secretary believes that this is merely an attempt to raise rates and taxes for the ordinary people, which will be siphoned off to fund the PNC/R’s campaign.

According to him, this is page from the opposition’s historical playbook, citing New Amsterdam as an example, where there was a unique increase not mirrored elsewhere in Guyana.

“It is not unprecedented for them to do this in communities that they control, where they control the local government body,” the vice president asserted.

Dr Jagdeo believes that their allegations on government stewardship is merely a smokescreen to cover for the internal corruption within the municipality.