City Mayor upbraids Minister Bulkan

Georgetown’s Mayor Patricia Chase-Green yesterday accused Minister of Communities Ronald Bulkan of meddling in City Hall’s business and urged that he try to engage with her and the council more frequently before pronouncing on M&CC matters. “The minister cannot sit in Kingston and try to direct what happens,” a visibly upset Chase-Green said yesterday. “He is taking over from where the old administration left off. Everything the Minister hears he gets involved in, he has never written to me on any of these matters, he has never spoken to me on these matters. In this matter he would have sent a letter,” she added. Both Bulkan and Chase-Green hold senior positions in the governing coalition constituent, the PNCR. Making reference to Bulkan’s recent letter to her on converting “green spaces” in residential areas for commercial ventures, the Mayor said that the minister was misinformed and ignorant of the laws which designate duties to the M&CC. In wake of a recent court ruling against the City Council’s bid to use the Bel Air playground for a residential venture, the Minister of Communities last week wrote to the Mayor relating government’s objection to attempts by the M&CC to convert “green spaces” in residential areas for commercial ventures and asked that she halt such moves. Concern has also been recently raised about the possible use of the Farnum Ground in Subryanville for unintended purposes as well.