PPP paying lip service to decentralized system of governance

PPP paying lip service to decentralized system of governance – Bulkan

Sep 17, 2018 News

Minister of Communities, Ronald Bulkan has highlighted that there is still resistance to the continued efforts to decentralize governance through the Local Government system.

Minister of Communities,
Ronald Bulkan

Bulkan told Kaieteur News that Government has faced numerous challenges in resurrecting a ‘dead system’, pointing out that it will take time for persons to fully grasp the benefits.
According to Bulkan, the Opposition, People’s Progressive Party (PPP) has been part of the resistance.
“The PPP does not believe in this decentralized model of governance, so they don’t want their people to enjoy this level of empowerment because they tell themselves that they might get back into office, and once people have tasted freedom those people will be resistant and reluctant to go back to that central model of Governance that the PPP believes in,” Bulkan stated.
There have been three local government elections since Guyana gained independence in 1966. The first was held in 1970, then 1994 and 2016. Bulkan has previously explained that when elections are held later this year, it will be the first time in post-colonial history that successive Local Government Elections are held as constitutionally due.
The date for this year’s LGE is November 12.
At the 2016 LGE, there were 71 Local authority areas which comprised six Municipalities and 65 Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs). However, the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM0 has undertaken to carry out the instructions of Bulkan to increase the areas to 80.
Unhappy with the way that GECOM has redrawn new constituencies for LGE, the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) has mounted a legal challenge claiming that consultations should have been held with residents and political parties.
Further, the PPP is contending that the constituencies won by the PPP have been merged in some instances as part of efforts to favour A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and the Alliance For Change (AFC).
However, Bulkan stated that the PPP, by their actions and track records have demonstrated to Guyana that they have no interest in democracy.
The Minister said, “They (the PPP) do not believe in the system of Local Government. Nevertheless, we are forging ahead with the re-institution as well as expanding the system of Local Government. We are convinced that when people are empowered and given the opportunity to develop their communities it will result in better managed communities.”
Minister Bulkan added that everything he did was within the law and that the PPP has acknowledged that he has the authority under the law to determine the size of the council and that was all I did.
“I am acting lawfully and legally and there has been no claim to the contrary. To the best of my knowledge they (the PPP) are saying that I acted undemocratically and have invoked Article 13 of the Constitution of Guyana which speaks about inclusionary democracy.”
The Minister concluded, “We are following the democratic tradition. We are empowering people ultimately, for their own benefit. The PPP will either conform or step aside.”

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