“Breaking the City to Save It”: Mayor Alfred Mentore Accuses Gov’t of Deliberate Destabilization
By: Antonio Dey | HGPTV Nightly News|
GEORGETOWN, GUYANA — In a fiery 2026 budget presentation at City Hall on Tuesday, Georgetown Mayor Alfred Mentore issued his most direct challenge yet to the central government, accusing the Ali administration of “systematically starving” the capital to manufacture a crisis that justifies a political takeover.
Mentore argued that the government has intentionally created the very conditions—specifically regarding drainage, waste management, and financial liquidity—that it now cites as evidence of municipal failure.
A Budget Under Siege: $1.28 Billion Deficit
The Mayor’s accusations provided the backdrop for a stark 2026 financial plan. Presented by Finance Chairman Lelon Saul, the budget highlighted the immense pressure on the municipality:
- The Deficit: The city has projected an expenditure of $5.69 billion against a revenue stream of only $4.41 billion, leaving a $1.28 billion shortfall.
- The “Starvation” Strategy: Mentore noted that while the government boasts of a $1.1 trillion national budget, the city’s annual subvention remains a stagnant $50 million, often attached to “pre-conditions” that dictate how the money must be spent.
- Receivables Crisis: The Council is currently owed $7.69 billion in outstanding rates and taxes, much of which Mentore claims are owed by government agencies and “politically protected” entities.
“The Savior Complex”: Narrative vs. Reality
Mayor Mentore pulled no punches in addressing recent comments by President Irfaan Ali, who suggested that the PPP/C must govern Georgetown to turn it into a “world-class” city.
- Fostered Difficulties: Mentore asserted that the government “fosters difficulties” in Georgetown by bypassing the Council on major projects and withholding resources for equipment like garbage trucks, which are being distributed to other NDCs with “fanfare.”
- Playing Rescuers: “They break the city, and then they want to play the rescuer,” Mentore claimed, positioning the government’s intervention not as an act of service, but as a “political ploy” to dismantle local democracy ahead of the 2026 Local Government Elections.
- Financial Discipline: The Mayor rejected claims of fiscal recklessness, noting that despite the deficit, the Council has maintained transparency and is managing 645 miles of drainage and waste collection for 34,000 properties on a “shoestring” budget.
The Legal and Political Frontier
The Mayor’s address marks a point of no return in the relationship between City Hall and the Ministry of Local Government. With the Council already pursuing High Court action over the “hostile takeover” of 57 city streets and the Water Street training complex, Mentore’s budget speech serves as a manifesto of resistance. For the residents of Georgetown, the budget highlights a city caught in a vice: fighting for the resources to provide basic services while being the centerpiece of a high-stakes struggle for political control.
