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Local Govt. Elections, Democratic Renewal and Regional Development

Feb 28, 2016 APNU Column, Features / Columnists

Local government elections, scheduled for March 18, are being held not only because the administration is committed to the rule of law – which mandates such elections every three years – but also because democratic renewal is necessary for development.
Guyana is a country characterized by diversity; our peoples originate from many parts of the world, their cultures are as varied as they can be. Our country’s geographic and human realities are equally dissimilar across our various regions, with widely diverging human and natural resources and landscape features.
Therefore, logically, real development – which we define as, the improvement of personal standards of living – is possible only when our varied communities are allowed and empowered to make meaningful and significant contributions to the decisions which affect the people.
Central government cannot know the needs of all individual communities; only the people living in those communities can identify their needs. That is why strong local government is an absolute necessity for community development. And, the strength of local government organs is heavily dependent on regular and frequent renewal of councils.
Your government is dedicated to the development of the lives of Guyanese. We are determined that all citizens must have a good life. It is therefore necessary for us to strengthen and empower local democratic organs to deliver the services which they are legally mandated to provide.
There are three words which encapsulate government’s approach and attitude towards local government and regional development. First, decentralization; moving decision-making power from the centre to the grassroots level. Second, empowerment; giving power and capacity to local government organs. Third, communitarianism; people must be allowed to practice their constitutional right to manage and develop the areas in which they live.
The administration is not merely paying lip-service to these ideals; we are acting on them. In the eight months that we have been in office, we have passed legislation to facilitate the holding of local government elections. We have gone further than that; we have named a date, March 18. Local democratic renewal is so important that we are prepared to invest the $1.3 billion it will cost to give decision-making power to the people, where it rightfully belongs.
With the holding of local government elections will come the dawning of a new day. In the new dispensation, the iron fist of central government domination will be banished to the dustbin of history. Instead, with the dawning of a bright and beautiful future, the open hand of collaboration and cooperation will be extended to the people. In this fresh approach to governance, real development will be possible. Communities will flourish. Our children will have a good life to which they can look forward.
Local government elections is but the first step in a process which will culminate in a better life for all Guyanese. A bright future beckons; let us seize the opportunity to take control of our lives by voting wisely, for the APNU+AFC candidate in your local authority area, on March 18.

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