AFC condemns Chase-Green over attack on Duncan

Condemning her attack on Deputy Mayor Sherod Duncan, the Alliance For Change yesterday said that Mayor Patricia ChaseGreen and Town Clerk, Royston King should take the blame for the “widespread rejection” of paid parking.

“It is unquestionably the initial and continued secrecy, lack of transparency surrounding the contract, the bad negotiating, lack of consultation with the people and poor implementation which are among the main reasons for the widespread rejection of the paid metered parking initiative. It is the view of the party that it is in fact the Mayor along with the Town Clerk and those who were secretly involved in negotiating and signing off on this sordid contract who must take responsibility rather than seek to cast blame elsewhere”, the AFC said in a statement.

At Monday’s statutory meeting of the City Council, Chase-Green launched an attack on Duncan, a member of the AFC, accusing him of peddling misinformation and fomenting civil disobedience.

“You are one of the persons who is out there in the public giving misinformation and not following on the right track and you are a part of this council,” Chase-Green scolded Duncan.

In his defence Duncan reminded the mayor that she had been unwilling to compromise. He noted that it was only after agitation from some members of the council that the original contract for the parking meters project was subjected to review by the Ministry of Finance and the Attorney General leading to several amendments.

The AFC in its statement yesterday said it is alarmed and disturbed by reports that Chase-Green sought to blame Duncan on Monday for taking misinformation to the public and causing civil disobedience.

“The party condemns, in the strongest possible terms, this unwarranted attack on Mr. Duncan. The Party wishes to remind the Mayor that since August 15, 2016, it has been a matter of public record that on the issue of paid metered parking in Georgetown, Mr. Duncan is the party’s spokesperson and is fully endorsed by the party on this matter”, the AFC said in a statement.

The statement noted that then party leader Khemraj Ramjattan was reported in the August 15, 2016 edition of the Stabroek News as stating, “Sherod is dealing with that (paid metered parking contract), he speaks for the party on that matter.”

The party said that Duncan continues to be the party’s spokesperson on this issue.

“Therefore, an attack on Mr. Duncan is, invariably, an attack on the AFC and the party takes a dim view of this and calls on the mayor to immediately withdraw her accusations, offer an unqualified apology, and take a more conciliatory approach towards resolving the issue of the widespread rejection of the Mayor and City Council (M&CC)/National Parking Systems (NPS)/Smart City Solutions (SCS) indecent and oppressive contract”, the AFC said.

The party added: On this the 2nd anniversary of the signing of the Cummingsburg Accord, the AFC … reaffirms its commitment to the APNU+AFC Coalition and working towards achieving the good life for all Guyanese but said it will not take lightly, disrespect and attacks such as that launched by Green on its councillors, leaders or members.

The AFC criticism of Chase-Green is seen as significant as she is an executive member of the PNCR, the main component of A Partnership for Unity (APNU). Both ChaseGreen and Duncan sit on the council as representatives of the governing alliance, APNU+AFC.

The AFC has come under criticism recently for not taking more independent positions on matters of governance.