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The ubiquitous Local Government Minister

Jul 17, 2013 Letters


Dear Sir,
Over the last few months, Guyanese have been witnessing the clandestine moves of Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, to micro-manage, the work of the City Council and many of the National Democratic Councils. He has used the imposition and political appointments of Town Clerk and Regional Executive Officers, and the imposition of IMCS. His actions remind us of “Lord of the Flies.”
Several of these local government bodies have been bitterly complaining about the corruption and incompetence of these officers, appointed by the Minister, but he has refused to take action, in each and every case.
But the Minister can do that and get away with it because there is no Local Government Commission as stipulated by the constitution of Guyana. In the absence of that commission the Minister assumes its powers, including appointing top officers of local government bodies and getting involved in the day to day management of these legitimate bodies.
One can easily conclude that he is attempting to run the councils through his appointed officers. The situation at the Georgetown City Council is a classic example.
It is clear that, the Minister—a long- serving senior member of the PPP– would act in the interest of that party; he will not act based on the felt needs of the local bodies, particularly those that are opposition dominated. His decisions are likely to be very subjective and prejudicial because he is political programmed to think and act in a certain way.
And with what is happening in parliament the government must work hard to stop the slippage of the party at the local level. Further, when one considers the Mayor’s utterances about 27 per cent vs. 73 per cent one gets to see exactly what the government is attempting to do with the citizens of Georgetown, who have consistently left the PPP in the political cold.
One individual, in the person of the Minister decides who get to be appointed Town Clerk, Regional Executive Officer or any other senior post in the Councils, Never mind, the wishes and rights of the democratically elected Councils. It allows the Minister to do whatever he pleases. In this context it makes him less accountable for his actions against the Councils, even if his actions are affecting the effectiveness of the council.
Beyond that, it undercuts the very foundation of democracy, and good governance at the council level.
However, a Local Government Commission would diffuse that power into several individuals and make the process more objective, fair and just.
Yet, this commission has not been in place for many years. Now with the reforms been considered in parliament, the government wants almost total domination of it to continue their domination of the local democratic system.
How can government claim to be democratic when it refuses to recognize and respects the will of the majority of councillors? How can a government claim to respect itself when it denies residents their constitutional and democratic rights to elect the local representatives, though local government elections?
The answers to these questions are blowing in the wid of change—Egypt, Syria, Brazil and GHuyana.
Aubrey James

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