By Kurt Campbell
[www.inewsguyana.com] – Town Clerk Carol Sooba has rejected reports that Banks DIH Ltd – Guyana’s leading beverage manufacturer – has refused to set up boots along the mash route this year because of the increased vending fees imposed by her.
iNews understands that rather than placing its own vending booths at strategic points along the route, Banks DIH will be intensifying its sales efforts through other vendors who purchase and resell its beverages.
According to Sooba the reason is certainly an internal one. “There were no exorbitant fees to Banks, as a matter of fact Banks owes us since last year for their spots … they usually take three spots… we raised it a little nothing significant.” Sooba said.
She told iNews that the fee for Banks was raised by $40,000 from $360,000 which the company paid for the three spots in past years.
“I think they have some internal issues, we have all the other large organization and we have no issues with them… I don’t know why a major company like Banks would pull out for such meager sum.”
Sooba said the company was in essence bullying the Council.
“Patricia Chase Green the Deputy Mayor was an employee of Banks so when they use to run activities headed by her … they use to do their own thing,” Sooba contended.
She said in past years the Council has failed to benefit adequately from the Mash activities.
“If you are running this as an economic activity you have to make a lot of preparations I do not understand people are being so critical.”
There has been an across the board increase for vending on Mash day and according to the Town clerk the response has been great so far with the Council already raking in over $5M compared to $6.5M overall in 2013.
“The Mash will go on and the town clerk is not a monster, there are ulterior motives,” Sooba said.
Your face tells it all.