Charging that there is massive corruption at City Hall, former President and Leader of the Opposition, Bharrat Jagdeo, is confident that “people will go to jail” if an audit is conducted on the entity.
“Any audit at City Council will land a lot of people in prison…Any audit now that they conduct,” Jagdeo told media operatives at a recent press conference hosted at his Church Street, Georgetown office.
The People’s Progressive Party /Civic (PPP/C)’s Head, said that even if an audit is conducted, it will only focus on the period prior to May 2015 – when the David Granger-led administration took office.
The politician went on to accuse officials at City Hall of deviating from procurement processes by given contracts to a favoured few. Ironically, Jagdeo and his administration were also accused of this many times in the past.
“They will not audit from when they went in because you will see, what amounts to over billions of dollars (worth of) contracts that were given out to friends and families, of the people at the City Council without any form of tender and they say they don’t have revenue.” The former Finance Minister argued.
He then switched his attention to the topical issue of a possible resuscitation of the Parking Meter Project, saying the PPP/C maintains their position that the project as it exists, can only bring burden to Guyanese.
“We in the People’s Progressive Party, are opposed to the Parking Meter Project – as currently configured, and the contract they signed. It was premised on a corrupt act and we will not support it. ”
The Mayor and City Council (M&CC) of Georgetown, is expected to appear before Cabinet with the amended bylaws. It is believed that after the presentation is done, the government will then decide on the way forward.
