City Hall Inquiry…Bulkan protected transgressions at City Hall – Opposition
Sep 24, 2018 , Kaieteur News Online, https://www.kaieteurnewsonline...ity-hall-opposition/
The Opposition, People’s Progressive Party (PPP) believes that the Minister of Communities, Ronald Bulkan has shielded the Mayor and Town Clerk despite numerous concerns about the operations of City Hall.
Minister of Communities, Ronald Bulkan
Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo urged residents of Georgetown to take note that the Minister of Communities, Ronald Bulkan had absolutely nothing to do with the probe that is taking place at City Hall.
“In fact, the Ministry of Communities and Mr. Bulkan has protected the transgressions of City Hall for the past several years, although these have been brought to his attention and to the Ministry’s attention,” Jagdeo stated.
Town Clerk, Royston King has gone on administration leave as the Local Government Commission (LGC) prepares to undertake a Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into the financial state of City Hall.
Jagdeo stated that Bulkan has refused to do anything about the issues surrounding the management of the city’s financial affairs.
“Because I suspect that the Mayor and Town Clerk are part of the APNU (A Partnership for National Unity) camp,” Jagdeo noted.
He pointed out that the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) has two representatives on the Council, but since early 2016, they have been calling for forensic audits of the affairs of City Council.
“Two motions to this effect were tabled in City Hall, but in July 2016, the two motions, one calling for forensic audit at City Hall and the other calling for detailed financial statements on expenditure were blocked by the Town Clerk despite the efforts to have the matter on the agenda of the Statutory meeting,” The Opposition Leader stated.
He said that Bulkan frustrated the establishment of the LGC by first not having a budget; then they didn’t have a building.
According to Jagdeo, it is the LGC, which has three Opposition representatives, who pushed for the CoI.
“It happened in spite of Bulkan; not with his support and his attempt to frustrate it. The Local Government Commission managed to get the COI.
Bulkan has been complicit to the wrong doings at City Hall,” Jagdeo said.
Suddenly, Jagdeo stated, APNU is saying to the people of Georgetown that they are taking action against the Mayor and the Town Clerk.
“It had nothing to do with Bulkan and the Ministry.”
He said that the Parking Meter project would have never been implemented had Bulkan not signed the bylaws.
“They can’t wash their hands of the parking meter affair.”