Local government Minister Faris Al Rawi has responded to the latest missive by Chaguanas Mayor Faaiq Mohammed over claims of insufficient funds in the Chaguanas Borough Corporation, calling on the Mayor to use available funds to pay his workers.

The Chaguanas Mayor has claimed they were without releases to honor wages, alleging his Corporation was just one of those controlled by the UNC which have been deliberately under-funded.

But in a statement response this afternoon, Minister Al Rawi maintained that the Corporation is sitting on over $8.6million in unspent balances which they can and ought to use to meet wages and other obligations.

“Mr. Mohammed himself stated in his media release: ‘I will happily pay the workers’ salaries from the monies we have if you tell us how much you will give us for the Chaguanas Market, the Lakhan Kariah Cremation Site, the Bridal Road Bridge, The Randy Carter Bridge, the Giant African Snails and the flooding’,” a statement from Minister Al Rawi noted. 

He continued: “It is mind boggling for Mr. Mohammed to publicly say that the CBC has an alleged ‘overall shortfall of $6m” whilst at the same time admitting that the CBC has unspent balances – which amount to $8.6m accumulated since 2013!”