The Georgetown City Council (M&CC) is being deliberately starved of resources to frustrate residents into voting for the governing People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) in the upcoming Local Government Elections (LGEs). This was recently noted by Opposition Chief Whip, Christopher Jones, while delivering remarks at an engagement in central Georgetown.
Jones likened the alleged tactic to that employed by dictatorial regimes, accusing the Irfaan Ali-led administration of withholding resources from the opposition-led M&CC to make it seem incompetent when it cannot deliver services to residents and businesses within the capital.
“A leopard doesn’t change its spots. The leopard just gets fat. Don’t get caught up in the lies of the PPP. They are deliberately starving the Georgetown City Council of the resources that they need, because they know on June 12, the Local Government Elections will be had. And they want you and your communities to be frustrated with the city’s current administration so when you go to the polls, you may tend to want to put your ‘X’ next to the cup,” Jones said.
He added, “That’s how dictators work. They starve areas of resources and move into the community and tell residents: ‘If the APNU councillors are not doing it, then we guh do it. We guh put up the streetlights, we guh dig the drains, we will clear the canals and we will repair the streets.’ Simply, you must say to them: ‘Pay the taxes to the Georgetown City Council and the councillors of the Georgetown City Council will do everything that you mentioned’.”
Jones noted that this ploy was not limited to Region Four and was being employed in all districts considered opposition strongholds.
During his speech, Jones urged residents to remain vigilant. He called on village elders to educate young people about the importance of the LGEs and the local government process. Jones reminded the audience that the elections were about the future of their communities and children and urged them not to be “hoodwinked”
