Gov’t delays work of Local Govt. Commission –PPP-nominated Commissioners

Mar 24, 2018 News

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…Anxious to address City Hall, other issues
Three Local Government Commissioners nominated by the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) yesterday claimed that the work of the Commission is being hampered by the lack of financing and proper office accommodations, among other issues.
Former Local Government Ministers, Norman Whittaker and Clinton Collymore, joined former Town Clerk of Georgetown, Carol Sooba, to deliver complaints against the Ministry of Communities at a press conference held at the Office of the Opposition, Church Street.
The commissioners expressed the need to press on with their work as there are over 20 complaints to investigate, including several against the Georgetown Mayor and City Council.
“It is obvious that the Government sees the Local Government Commission as a medium for intervention; to control and for giving political directives while sheltering under claims of local democracy. As far as the Government is concerned, the Local Government Commission for them is affront,” Whittaker stated.
Whittaker noted that the Commission was allocated $110M for 2018 – $20M earmarked for capital works and $90M for recurrent expenses. He explained that those monies should have been transferred to the Commission, but it is instead being delivered in tranches by the Ministry. This severely hampers the functioning of the Commission.
The commissioners were sworn-in on October 23, 2017 to have oversight over the local Government systems and provide for the autonomy of the systems. Shortly after being appointed, former Region Ten Chairman, Mortimer Mingo, was subsequently named Chairman while union leader, Andrew Garnett, Deputy Chairman.
The other commissioners are former Region Four Chairman, Clement Corlette; senior executive of the Alliance For Change, Marlon Williams; and educator, Joan Ann Romascindo. Minister of Communities, Ronald Bulkan had expressed Government’s commitment to the Commission. He could not be reached for comment yesterday.
Whittaker reminded that the intent behind the establishment of the Commission was to reduce the influence of central government.
“In this instance, the Ministry of Communities must move into the background and the face of the Local Government Commission must be out there. What we have happening is in the background, you have the Minister of Communities seeking to interfere; seeking to run the show,” Whittaker stated.
OFFICE SPACE
At the press conference, the media was told that the Commission was temporarily allowed to meet in a committee room at the Parliament building up until the end of February. Some 16 meetings were held and the Commission has not met since.
Sooba is part of the Commission’s sub-committee tasked with locating a suitable office building with adequate space. She stated that the committee which includes Williams and Corlette, found one in Forshaw Street, Queenstown and just as they were about to sign a rental agreement for about US$1,200 monthly, the committee was told that the rent was too high.
Instead, another building at Eping Avenue was identified; however, when she visited about a week ago, it was discovered that there is insufficient accommodation for the Commissioners apart from a boardroom, offices for staff and offices for the Chairman and Deputy Chairman.
“I having observed what was happening with the Ministry of Communities and the fact that the lcola Government Commission seems not to have mattered at all because we were sworn in on the 23rd of October last year and having put so much effort into organising the way, the commission should work we are stymied at every level, not only for finances,” Sooba stated.
She stated that the Government was responsible for ensuring the Commission gets off the ground and not even a piece of furniture has been procured for the Commission.
According to Sooba, the Government of the day does not want the Commission to do its work.
“I have noticed Honourable Minister Bulkan has been still doing the work that the Commission is supposed to do. It is time that we bring this into the public domain because we have allowed enough time to elapse to give the Honourable Minister and the Government the opportunity to put things in place to allow us to function,” Sooba noted.
WORK TO DO
The commissioners stated that persons have been calling and writing to the Commission through the Chairman. These correspondences were received via the Parliament Office.
Collymore noted that the Commissioners are being called upon, by various local organs to undertake services, including the ratification of the scheme of works.

 

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