Caledonia/Good Success NDC is failing its constituents

Sep 22, 2017 Letters

Dear Editor,
I am moved to comment that my experience as a councilor has led me to conclude that the Local Government System has not lived up to the expectations of most citizens. The less than clear understanding of the interpretation of Chapter 28:02 — the law governing the functioning of the Neighbourhood Democratic Councils and a lack of recognition of the need to deliver services to the constituents in a timely manner are some of the areas of concern
I happen to be the constituency councilor for Relief/Brickery on the Caledonia/ Good Success NDC. I am one of seven councilors of a community group that contested the local elections the other eleven being the Peoples’ Progressive Party representatives. I looked forward to being engaged in enlightening and transformative processes which would result in improved services to the inhabitants of the Neighbourhood . At this time in my period of service, I am led to conclude that the performance of this council and the Local government System as a whole leaves much to be desired.
The areas of continual worry are:
1. The tendency of the Chairman to make unilateral hiring decisions under the guise of a perceived emergency
2. An inequity in the rates paid to for the same job especially with the preference to persons identified by the chairman and vice chairman
3. A demonstrated inability to set standards for and supervise simple maintenance tasks.
4. A continual refusal to exercise gender inclusivity in identifying councilors to engage in the work of the council
5. A refusal to initiate the work of the building committee. That committee has never functioned.
6. Building applications are not treated as incoming correspondence.
There seems to be no interest in setting a transformational mode in the council except for some support given to the establishment of a youth. I am planning to pursue a campaign in which we the council will be able to involve a large number of the constituents to be involved in the holistic development of their neighbourhood and become engendered with a community spirit so needed in our country at this time.
E. M. McCaskey

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