Bulkan asks city mayor to suspend move to convert residential grounds for business

-says gov’t against use for unintended purposes

Communities Minister Ronald Bulkan has voiced government’s objection to the Georgetown City Council’s attempts to convert “green spaces” in residential areas for commercial ventures and has asked Georgetown Mayor Patricia Chase-Green to halt such moves.

Bulkan’s request was made by way of a letter to Chase-Green, dated January 22nd, 2018 and comes in wake of a recent court ruling against the City Council’s bid to use the Bel Air playground for a residential venture. Concern has also been recently raised about the possible use of the Farnum Ground in Subryanville for unintended purposes as well.

“I inform you further, that the undertaking by the Council to convert green spaces in residential areas into housing or other commercial ventures does not find favour with central government,” he wrote. “Instead, it is the desire and expectation of the administration that local democratic organs undertake to maintain and improve such areas for the benefit of all residents and citizens within the confines of their intended purpose,” Bulkan wrote.

As a result, he informed Chase-Green that central government expects that any undertaking by the council must have the support of the respective community councillor, who must also agree for such an undertaking to be placed on the council’s agenda. He said in the absence of such an agreement, no fewer than twothirds of the council would have to consent to have the matter placed on the agenda.

“I further apprise you that I am in favour of the exercise of a moratorium on the conversion or use of green spaces for any purpose apart from that for which such spaces are intended, and based on discussions at Cabinet, my colleagues share that view. I advise you of this fact for your consideration of implementation of such, within the municipality,” he added.

Bulkan’s letter was copied to Minister Amna Ally, in her capacity as PNCR General Secretary, and Minister Volda Lawrence, in her capacity as PNCR ViceChairperson, Town Clerk Royston King and councillors.

Meanwhile, Councillor Sherod Duncan used the letter to call for the resignation of Chase-Green and King. In a Facebook post, under which he posted the letter penned by the minister, he said “the Mayor and Town Clerk must resign immediately.”

“We cannot re-elect this Mayor in March 2018. Her Worship has done nothing to deserve the confidence of our vote, that most sacred of expressions of consent in those we desire to lead us. The Town Clerk bumbles from one degree of ineptitude to the next. His incompetence is taxing on the city. The people of Georgetown

must be relieved of this combined burden. They must go!” he wrote. He went on to point out that “the recent definitive rebuke of the Mayor and Town Clerk by Central Government is yet another example why they must go or else continue to damage the image of the Coalition Government at Local Government.”

‘Cease and desist’

Of note is that by the time the letter was dispatched, King had authorised the clearing of the Bel Air ground without first informing the council.

That action prompted attorney Devindra Kissoon, who was responsible for the court case against the council over its plan for the ground, to write Bulkan on behalf of residents on Wednesday, seeking a halt of the activity, which they see as being a violation of the court order.

Kissoon informed the minister that despite the court order, the Town Clerk, Mayor and the council had taken “retaliatory steps” and cut down community trees and signaled that a fence would be erected to exclude use of the ground by residents, without any approval by the community.