That local government debate: My choice

Mar 08, 2016 Features / Columnists, Freddie Kissoon

I was one of a dozen panelists that forwarded questions to Local Government candidates at the debate held at Theater Guild on Saturday night. Because of the format, a panelist had a candidate chosen to which the questions would be asked. My question and follow-up were directed to the APNU+AFC candidate, Sherod Duncan. But in all honesty, if I had to choose one of the debaters to which I would have directed my queries, it would have been Duncan.
Time was too short (90 minutes) and the panelists too many. The result was many panelists were restricted to one question with the follow up. Of course we learn from experience and the next time, the format would be more facilitating to both panelists and debaters. So what were my impressions of the debate? My two enquiries were (a) the removal by City Hall of encumbrances on pavements and parapets perpetuated by private citizens is skewed in favour of the propertied and commercial classes. I pointed out to Mr. Duncan that City Hall does not touch the rich that violate the by-laws.
His response was anticipated by me and I guess the whole world. He said all are equal before the law and as a councillor that is how he would approach that particular policy. My follow-up continued on the same line of the class bias in the policies of City Hall. I asked what he will do with the shameless attitude of City Hall where sand trucks cannot be in the city after 6 in the morning, but there is no time constraint on the humongous container-vehicles that create traffic headaches all over Georgetown.
He said that he will see about that. Mr. Duncan was competent in his performance and I would like to think he is one for the future. I know him from UG and have positive views on him
It didn’t matter to me how Mr. Duncan approached my questions because I will not be voting for the APNU+AFC as stated in one of my columns two weeks ago. I don’t think it is philosophically sound and politically wise for the same party to control central and local organs of power. This columnist was told during the evening by one of the panelists that a certain Minister last week (not the Minister of Communities) called certain Councillors from the PNC to get City Hall to release a huge sum of money (running into dozens and dozens of millions) owed to a certain contractor in return for a gift which I prefer not to describe.
This situation can arise when the ruling party of the country is also the ruling party at the Municipal level. If you have a Council where the PPP or APNU+AFC are not in the majority it will be difficult for politicians from central government to coerce their colleagues at City Hall to do their opportunistic biddings. Obviously, I will not vote for the PPP. My mind was made up; Team Legacy or Team Benschop. But the debate changed my attitude. Minus the PPP and APNU-AFC debaters, the other four were Mr. Philip Thomas from Guyana Nation Builders Corps; Mark Benschop; Michael Leonard from Team Legacy and Clayton Halley from Youth For Local Government
I was not stirred by Thomas. I don’t think his performance can make me vote for him. It could be lack of political experience but he appeared and performed too blandly. Benschop was competent but he came across as a typical politician. Some people may want a Council without politicians. Michael Leonard from Team Legacy certainly did not outscore Benschop but his contribution made you feel that you need people like him (and Benschop) to replace the PPP and PNC politicians at City Hall
I would say that if I had to vote based on the performance of the debaters, I would give my Proportional Representation ballot to Youth for Local Government. Clayton Halley impressed me the most. I don’t know if it is my long praxis or premonition, but he came across to me as a young man who is not interested in putting politics in front of Municipal governance and someone who would break with the old political culture of Guyana
I didn’t feel psychologically comfortable with the way Thomas, Benschop, Duncan and Leonard shaped their responses. I may be wrong but I guess it is my impression but I sensed the usual, traditional politics in them. I didn’t see that in Halley. There was something about Halley’s deliveries that made me feel that he will not play by the old, political rules and will confront those rules.

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