Mayor Green sabotages Easter Day revenue collection, storms seawall with armed bodyguards

 

By Kurt Campbell

[www.inewsguyana.com] – Criminal charges could be brought against City Mayor Hamilton Green after he disrupted the annual Easter Day revenue collection along the seawalls, Georgetown today, (Monday, April 21).

It is alleged that the Mayor, accompanied by his bodyguards, overpowered Revenue Collectors including the Assistant Town Clerk and the Deputy Town Clerk and took away the keys to the vehicle which was transporting the staff and its money. It is also alleged that the Mayor stormed the seawalls where vendors and other citizens had gathered advising them not to pay any rates to the Council.

The vehicle was left with its windows down, though it rained periodically and the staff was forced to take the cash they had already collected to safety.

iNews (www.inewsguyana.com) was reliably informed that notwithstanding the fact that the police were called in, Green told ranks that he had no keys as he continued to intimidate Council workers and others around.

The staff was taken to the Alberttown Police Station where they gave statements relating what had transpired and which will be used to possibly bring criminal charges against Mayor Green.

When iNews (www.inewsguyana.com) visited the scene, the Mayor could not be found and calls to his phone went unanswered.

However, Officer in Charge of security details at the Council, ASP Gordon Langevine informed that he was unaware what could have forced the Mayor to do what he did but noted very sternly that his actions constitutes a criminal offence.

“The vehicle is an automatic vehicle and it cannot be towed away, so the vehicle is here with windows down, we had to transfer cash… we are hoping that police will come and assist us with crash truck to take it away,” he explained.

When contacted, embattled Town Clerk (ag) Carol Sooba related that the grievance stemmed from the fact that the Mayor and Deputy Mayor Patricia Chase-Green were no longer responsible for the activity.

Sooba claimed that the event which has been taking place for over 20 years was being controlled by the Deputy Mayor in recent years. She claimed that the Deputy Mayor used her position to manipulate the staff and also leveled accusations of embezzlement against her.

Sooba lamented and decried what she said was the abuse by the Mayor of resources given to him by the Council for his protection. In making her point, she stressed that the Mayor’s bodyguards were armed and noted that it was not the first time he abused the privilege in this regard.