The Mayor of Castries has announced his commitment to adopting a business approach to running the operations of the Castries Constituency Council.
The pronouncements were made by his Lordship, Mayor Peterson Francis while chairing a meeting of his heads of departments.
Mayor Francis made reference to the manner in which the local Government Department was being managed and the need for restructuring and innovation.
A clear roadmap will be developed, articulating the vision of the CCC and aimed at advancing the work agenda of the Castries Constituency Council. The Mayor promises to establish and implement new processes which will improve the functioning of the office.
Your Lordship, Mayor Peterson Francis stated: “Provisions must and will be made for the modernization of the Council. The CCC will begin to focus some of its efforts at revenue generation so as to better equip it to satisfy its mandate, and to meet some of its core functions such as the beautification, maintenance, development and security of the capital.”
Mayor Francis also noted that the council will launch a few initiatives, which will see it partnering with other agencies, such as the Royal Saint Lucia Police Force (RSLPF).
“The collaboration with the RSLPF through a City Police Unit will seek to respond to the needs of both citizens and visitors in providing a safe environment within the City of Castries, and a list of potential applicants have been submitted to the RSLPF for vetting. Very soon benches and free Wi-Fi will be placed at Constitution Park and a beautification exercise will be undertaken along the Bananes Bay area to provide a much needed facelift.”
In addition, the Mayor of Castries spoke to some immediate decisions which have given rise to rehabilitation of the vendor’s arcade and the purchase of an excavator to conduct the work of the Council, to curtail exorbitant fees in construction of tombs at the Choc Cemetery.
Commenting on the overall operations of the CCC and its new paradigmatic approach, the Mayor underscored the need for proper fiscal management. “There is need for proper financial management, and in that regard, we are conducting an active investigation as we try to determine the rationale for a monthly wage bill amounting to over EC$500, 000.00.”
Mayor Francis says reformation is necessary and it is extremely important that the institution of the Castries Constituency Council is strengthened in order that it is repositioned to better fulfill its purpose.