Mayor Hamilton Green

The A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) coalition continues to ignore the cries of the public with regard to appointing political favourites on State Boards, while giving such persons senior positions at Government entities in spite of the Administration’s earlier promises that this would not happen.

Recently, Mayor Hamilton Green was appointed as the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA), and this latest move by the Government has left many to wonder about the evident “conflict of interest”.

Former Housing Minister Irfaan Ali told this newspaper on Wednesday that such an appointment by the APNU/AFC coalition was an obvious conflict of interest and went beyond the appointment of a “political hack” as the head of the CH&PA.

“It is more of a professional issue and more than having someone in a position of conflict of interest. This is because the Mayor and City Council (M&CC) is chaired by Mayor Hamilton Green and he makes recommendations to the CH&PA Board. So, if you have the same person chairing both entities, then you can have a lot of difficulties; so, from both a professional and an ethical perspective, this is not right,” Ali said.

Former Housing Minister Irfaan Ali

Guyana Times understands that in the October 3, 2015 edition of the Official Gazette, it was publicised that Green had been appointed as the Chairman of the Board of Directors for the CH&PA.

Letters poured in to various media entities from concerned citizens complaining that the person(s) making recommendations and appointments to State Boards “must realise” that this latest appointment was a “clear conflict of interest situation”.

“How can the Mayor, who chairs the statutory meetings of the City Council also be the Chairman of the CH&PA?” one woman asked.

It was further explained that when someone wishes to erect a building, that person has to submit three copies of the plan to the Mayor and City Council (M&CC) to begin the application process.

After the M&CC, chaired by the Mayor, approves of this plan, it is then forwarded to the CH&PA for the Housing Ministry’s approval.

“Here again, it will run into Mayor Hamilton Green, who will this time be wearing the hat of the CH&PA Chairman, as the plan seeks to get its second approval. Where will the checks and balances be? There is no separation of powers because Hamilton Green can approve a faulty plan at City Hall, and then go over to the Central Housing and Planning Authority and approve it a second time,” one individual stated.

Meanwhile, Green had told the media that his appointment to the Board of the CH&PA was no conflict of interest since both entities (the M&CC and the CH&PA) were led by “professional people”.

He divulged that he would not be running for Mayor again come the next Local Government Elections (LGE) although he still wished to serve the country.

In addition to Green’s appointment to the CH&PA’s Board, Meshel Austin and Winston Hope have also been appointed as Directors.