Latest update January 17th, 2025 6:30 AM
Commissioner of Inquiry Report will be revealing – Source
Inquiry into City Hall…
Stark changes are likely for City Hall once the recommendations offered by Commissioner of Inquiry Keith Burrowes are implemented. According to a well-placed source, Burrowes has been able to complete a report based on his findings, which were uncovered over a near six-month period.
The still dilapidated Kitty Market
Efforts to contact the Commissioner for a comment on the content of the report yesterday, however, proved futile. This newspaper understands that Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Kellawan Lall, who had requested that the investigation be done, has already been briefed on the findings.
However, according to the source Burrowes is yet to formally hand over the report to the Minister following which a press conference will be held to unveil certain revealing details.
The source indicated that the Commissioner is recommending some stark changes in the human resource of the Municipality, which are outlined in the three-volume report.
According to the source one of the critical areas that will have to be addressed within the Municipality is the issue of governance, thus the urgency of the Local Government elections must be emphasised.
The source highlighted the fact that there is no way that the recommendations of the Commission have the desired effect if efforts are not made at revising the current management structure
This newspaper has learnt that there have been major loopholes in the tax collection process, among other crucial areas of revenue collection, which the Commissioner has not failed to address.
The source pointed out that another area of concern, which requires immediate attention, is the cemetery, which in addition to being in a state of overgrowth is being encroached upon by the Mandela Dump Site.
The source indicated to this newspaper that if a new area for the cemetery is not identified within two months serious problems are likely to result.
As the situation is right now, the source said, there is clearly no respect for the dead when it comes to sections of the Le Repentir Cemetery.
Several citizens of the city have complained bitterly about the state of the cemetery as they are unable to visit the resting place of their loved ones, a situation which may require Government’s assistance to rectify.
Reports are that the cemetery also poses a security risk as there have been instances that bandits and other criminal elements have operated there.
One man was also even found to be residing in a tomb in the cemetery.
And then there is the situation of the markets such as the risky Kitty Market where the municipality continues to allow vendors to operate. According to the source even as the Kitty Market deteriorates the Bourda Market is slowly moving towards a similar status.
The source suggested that like the Stabroek Market the other Municipal markets should have a reserve account to finance their maintenance.
However, it was emphasised by the source that it is expected by many that the recommendations offered by the Commission of Inquiry will be implemented in the shortest possible time with a view to reversing the current trend of the Municipality even as a cultural shift is engaged.
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