–ahead of local gov’t elections in mid-November

THE holding of Local Government Elections (LGE) in mid-November this year will see eight new Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs) being formed as well as a new town.
In the meantime, the participating order has already been issued and is in the process of being gazetted, Minister of Communities, Ronald Bulkan announced late Friday at the launch of a public awareness and stakeholder education project on the lawns of the Public Buildings.

He told the audience that the government views local government organs as a critical partner in national development, and that integral to the approach is a better resourced and organised local government system; one that is effective in the discharge of its functions.

Bulkan said the government is cognisant that by simply divolving power without the necessary resources and support, the system will not work.
“Central government is putting monies into this programme,” he said of the awareness campaign.

He said the ministry’s work programmes are aimed at strengthening the capacity of the local democratic organs, whereby in the past three years, work has advanced in equipping the local democratic organs to ensure good governance, accountability and transparency through a coordinated programme of institutional strengthening and capacity building.

As regards the awareness project, Minister Bulkan said that it is aimed at bringing more information to the populace to ensure more participation in the LGE later this year.
Noting that it is hoped that participation will be greater than the 43% which obtained at the last LGE in March 2016, Minister Bulkan said:

“This is why it is important that this public education will serve as a vehicle for more meaningful community involvement in the management and decision-making of our local government areas.”

FULL OBJECTIVES
He said the project’s complementary objectives include key activities such as additional public launches across the country in each municipality, focus-group interactive sessions such as seminars and also debates and other competitions within the nation’s schools.

“So this programme will be taken to the people; to the community so they can understand what is the message of local government; what are some the specific roles, functions and authority of a local council situated within your area; why you must be engaged, participate and at a minimum, why you must vote,” he added.

Bulkan told the gathering that the APNU+AFC Government is committed to strengthening the revenue base and financial sustainability of councils by updating the system of property valuation. Cautioning that it is not an exercise aimed at taxation, Minister Bulkan said:
“We are aware that without reliable, continuous and locally-generated sources of revenue, it is nearly impossible for local organs to perform the task of community development.”

He said that in just over two years, there are “exciting developments” taking place, not just in Mabaruma, where an ambitious solar farm project is about to be completed, but also at Bartica, home of Guyana’s first boardwalk, and at Lethem, which is fast becoming the business hub of the Rupununi.

“The role of Central Government is one of providing support to these townships to enable projects to be executed,” Bulkan told the attentive gathering.
He said that the government is not only interested in the “deepening of the system of democracy”, but also broadening its scope across the country. “Each part of our country must develop,” he reiterated.

LGE IN HISTORY
Vincent Alexander, who sits on the task force overseeing the awareness project, spoke of the history of the local government system here, one that dates back to the African and Amerindian village movements of yesteryear.

He said the local government system has been affected by repeated periods of “ comatose “ as he noted that the elections have been held only in the years in 1970 , 1994 and 2016. As a consequence, he noted that there has been a low level of involvement in LGE when the opportunity avails itself. He said too there is little or no development of a local government cadre and he spoke of “rookies” or inexperienced councilors to supervise local government affairs.

Alexander said the awareness campaign‘s targets the electorate , potential candidates , local government officials , tax payers , community groups , non-government organizations ( NGOs) , related state agencies and officials with the aim of educating them on the LGE system.

He said it aims to provide stakeholders to seek clarity in relation to any aspect of Local government and to enlighten the citizenry on the intended goal of local government as pillar of development.

Meanwhile , Henry Smith , Mayor of Mabaruma , North West District’s first town spoke of the benefits the system of LGE has brought to the town including a number of infrastructure projects .

At the same time, 19-year old councillor of the Beterverwagting-Triumph Neighbourhood Democratic Council, Jamaal Baggot spoke of his involvement in the system of governance even though he entered the 2016 polls as an independent councillor.

Baggot currently chairs the council’s finance committee and has ensured one of his campaign’s objectives, the establishment of community centre, has materialised.
He urged youths to get involved in the process as he mentioned its benefits to the development of the community.