Green should have been in Jail a long time. He is an old time thiefman. However, Jagdeo protected him by bailing him and Shitty Hall everytime.

The Guyanese populace should demand an I.M.C to run the city until local gov't elections

Many of you folks are suddenly experts on the reasons for flooding in GT.  There is enough blame to go around, however the biggest culprit is irrigation capacity and it does not help that kokers have to be closed due to high tides and pumps have to be used to relieve the water level. Guyanese homeowners hardly pay any property taxes so local govt have limited funds to finance flood alleviating measures. It also does not help that garbage and overgrowth block the canals. 

Who do you blame for not collecting property tax. Local lawlessnes under Hamilton Green continues to be the norm. The by-law enforcement system is broken and unworkable. It is true that the people throw garbage all over the place and the situation can be alleviated to some extent if they clean up their garbage. Well, if you can't clean your sh*t  nature will bring it to your door.

Green must go!!!!!

Why is it there have been no local Gov't elections since 1994?  Dr Jagan faced greater obstacles to holding those elections than any of his successors, yet he kept his campaign promise of holding it within his first term.  Why then, were none held since, and under whose watch was Hamilton Green there for so long?

Which PPP Minister said he would be glad if there is a health crisis in the city as a result of the non-collection of garbage, because this would lead to the removal of the City Council?

It is not about collecting the property taxes but its about the tax rates which are too low to expect the level of service from local govt. Do you live in Guyana or the overseas?  If you lived overseas and were ever a homeowner you would know that property taxes high because of the services you get. It is used to pay police, schools, sewer and maintain the roads among other things.  Even if they collected 100% property taxes it would not be enough to pay the bills required to run the town and provide all the services as one would expect in the US. 

BGurd_See, you do have a point.  The problem is, given the poor level of services that has only gotten worse over the years, how do you convince people to pay more right away...chicken and egg...

No it wouldn't cure all ills.  But it will lead to an improvement over what obtains today.  Do you know that many NDCs simply do not function?

The questions I pose are however, directed at those who are now clamouring for Green's removal and seeking to place all the blame on him and his council, when not only is the PPP very much responsible for him being there, but also, through the Ministry of Local Gov't, have the mandate to intervene on behalf of the citizens of Georgetown.

An I.M.C should be put in place until the soon holding of local Gov't elections....

How many years was Green the mayor?  Why now, this call for an IMC?  To what end the PPP keep Green there for so long?  Could it be to punish GT for not voting PPP?

Hamie was kept there by the PPP totally, and partially by Ramjattan who was a PPP Parliamentarian and a member of  the Central Committee of the PPP until he left the PPP in 2005. So your chairman should also be partially blamed for not having Local Government elections held and for not making Hammie accountable.

An IMC will be short term, knee jerk reaction to a problem that is crying for a permanent, long term solution.   Many of the solutions have been put forwarded by posters on this thread.  Here are some:

1.   Local government elections  immediately.   We had four national elections but cannot agree on the groundwork for new local elections.   Utterly shameful and unacceptable.

2.   Reasonable and realistic tax rates and certain collections.

3.   Stringent anti-littering legislation and strict enforcement.

4.   Adequate sewage disposal facilities

5.   Improved drainage system.

These (and more) are very doable but there is a need for all stakeholders to eschew the political grandstanding and accept their own roles in this ridiculous state of affairs.

Maybe it is time to put the AFC's advantage in parliament to force local elections. However this will require cooperation from the PNC who might just like things the way they are. It is quite confusing as to who really has the power to force local elections and why they have not done so. 

APNU is not the only party in Parliament that the AFC can work with.  There is also the PPP.  The AFC should stand true to its role as the balance of power and have a dialogue with both the PPP and The APNU to move the nation's business forward.   Local government elections should be high on its agenda.

I believe the city should've been built on a boat or some floating platform to prevent it from being overwhelmed by the tydes.  Let's learn from the Japanese who are already doing that.

At least we have a good example to follow.

Thisis what I mean...

Divers view....