Let the people run their communities

By Vanessa Braithwaite
With the imminent approach of Local Government Elections, the concern is whether the major political forces will contest the municipalities or whether these will be left to the ordinary citizens.

Local Government Elections strive to create a structure in which Central Government does not bear the burden of administering every community and neighborhood in the country.
Considering this fact, the two political parties contesting – the People’s Progressive Party and the APNU-AFC Coalition – vowed to have representatives from within the communities to contest for leadership positions within the townships and the municipalities. This has been announced by President David Granger speaking on behalf of his Party, and Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo on behalf of the Opposition. It was also revealed that the APNU –AFC Coalition will be contesting the LGE together. President Granger mentioned that the renaming of the Ministry of Local Government to Ministry of Communities was to give the populace assurance of a significant change and this renaming was just an orientation of such a change. The first step to this change would be to elect persons from within the communities to run for these offices. “The over-centralized local government approach is no good and we need persons from within the Communities to be elected,” affirmed Mr. Granger had said recently.

He added that this was the fitting thing to do as communities have become disorganised with public infrastructure being in a state of disrepair and the people becoming complacent as there is no proper representative among them to deal with issues at the grass root level.
“Persons elected should be in touch with the needs of the people, and being familiar with their concerns, they will be able to find solutions and mobilise resources,” President Granger added as he made it clear that there should be no or minimal political imposition in local governance.

Sharing similar sentiments is APNU/AFC Member of Parliament and Community activist Valarie Patterson who mentioned that persons contesting should be selected from the communities who will work in the best interest of those communities to solve financial, developmental and management problems. “The solutions are with the people and we need persons who will involve the communities in their decision-making process,” stated Patterson. She added that the people also need to take ownership of their towns and to be more outspoken when displeased with management. “Local Government election will allow for more community representative rather than political representative, and this will eliminate several present concerns and irregularities such as accountability and efficiency. A recall mechanism will be implemented.”
Minister of Social Cohesion, Amna Ally, articulated that local persons with locale will be chosen to run for these offices and they are best fitted to manage the affairs of their communities. “These persons do not have to belong to our party as that is not our priority,” affirmed the Minister.

Meanwhile, General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party, Clement Rohee said both political affiliates and community representatives will be chosen to contest for these positions and Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo posited publicly that there would be a 50% split in representation.

Involvement of people
Weighing in on the subject Lincoln Lewis, General Secretary of the Guyana Trades Union Congress said “Local Government is about involvement of the people and about harnessing the cultural and economic spirit at the grass root level, so that the people in the community can be represented,” he said. Mr. Lincoln is cognizant of the fact that persons within the communities support different political parties and therefore their leaders should not be representative of those parties. “To allow these political representatives to run for Local Government is to allow tribalism where people will fight for turf and influence of the political parties at the central level.” He admonishes the people not let politicians take up every space in their society.
With community representatives chosen to run for office, the purpose of Local Governance will be fulfilled and the people will be able to lend themselves to greater scrutinise, object, and account to the management of their communities. Local Government elections should be contested by regular citizens who are politically neutral and who have a genuine interest in the affairs of the common man. If this does not occur, then our democracy suffers and the people, especially those at the grass root level will not have a voice.

Head of the Interim Management Committee of the Town of Linden, Orrin Gordon said he is anxious about local government elections, noting that most of the councilors elected in 1994 are no longer there. “The previous Government’s lack of appreciation for the role Local Government plays in the governance of any country, is the underlying factor for the issues not only faced by this municipality but all others except Georgetown,” mentioned Gordon. He added that the municipality needs competent people who will be committed in giving their time, energies and expertise to the development of the town and this is anticipated with the plural representation after elections. “These people must come from within the Communities,” says Mr. Gordon.