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NDCs have been delinquent in submitting work programmes- Minister Bulkan
There are concerns about why work is not proceeding apace in some Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs). However, the answer to why this is occurring is actually quite straightforward.
Minister of Communities, Ronald Bulkan
According to Minister of Communities, Ronald Bulkan, many of the NDCs have been delinquent in submitting work plans for projects in their communities. This, Bulkan stated, is the principal reason for works not being executed.
“The budgetary allocations for the 2016 budget… well, once parliament votes on it, they are all available for the regions to access,” Bulkan said in a recent interview. “There is the tender procedure, which is proceeding unimpeded.”
“The capital budget for the NDCs… they have to submit a programme. And some of them have been delinquent in submitting their programmes. So once we are in receipt of the proposed works, we respect the authority of the council.”
“That’s the whole idea of local government elections and local democracy. You know what the priority for your area is. The central government is providing funding, and then there is a safeguard mechanism, so there are records to say (you) submitted to do this bridge or do this road. It helps bring accountability to the system.”
In order for the release of subventions, NDCs are required to submit work plans. In recent times the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) had claimed that subventions were deliberately being withheld due to politics.
PPP General Secretary Clement Rohee had argued that NDCs needed funds for cleaning trenches, works on community roads, environmental sanitation, maintenance and other civil works.
Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Communities, Emil McGarrel, had recently said that once plans are approved by the Ministry, subventions would be released. He had explained that once the work programmes comply with the statutory guidelines established by the ministry, approval will be granted and the local bodies would receive 50 per cent of their subvention.
The remaining 50 per cent, McGarrel had further indicated, would be released once more than 70 per cent of the work programme had been completed.
With regards to Rohee’s allegations, McGarrel emphasised that no particular group of NDCs is being singled out or victimized.
The Local Government Elections held last March had resulted in ties in six Local Authority Areas – the proposed town of Mabaruma and five (NDCs, namely Woodlands/Bel Air, Malgre Tout/Meer Zorgen, Gibraltar/Fyrish, Industry/Plaisance and Woodlands/Farm.
The Minister of Communities had made appointments of a Mayor for Mabaruma and chairpersons for the NDCs. A Mayor had even been sworn in, but after the intervention of the PPP, the High Court had quashed the appointments.
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