Strengthening the Regional Government System

REGIONAL Government, which falls under the Local Democratic Organs, came into effect with the 1980 Guyana Constitution.  The spirit and intent of establishing a regional system is to ensure that the people within the demarcated boundaries can manage their affairs and utilise the resources therein for their benefit and development. With this establishment, the country was divided into 10 administrative regions, and an examination will see that each region is known from specific resources.For instance, Region Two is forested highland and low coastal plain, and some hilly sand and clay; Region Four is mostly low coastal plain with small portions of hilly sand and clay, more inland; Region Seven has within it the forested highland and little hilly sand and clay. The other regions too comprise unique and common topographies and natural resources.

A careful look at the regions’ demarcation will see representation of our geographic areas-hilly sand and clay, interior savannahs, low coastal plain, and highlands- distributed, which suggests that the planners sought to ensure, where possible, that the nation’s natural resources are spread among the people, irrespective of regions. Inevitably, this would have necessitated working within and across region(s), in competition and cooperation for the region’s welfare and by extension the benefit of the country as a whole.

Along with diverse and distributive topography and national resources, so too were the people. While regions may have a predominance of one race or tribe, no region is homogeneous. This convergence of diverse groups in the same geographic space with the responsibility to manage their affairs would out of necessity cause them to recognise and appreciate that their well-beings are intertwined and consequently it is in their interest to work with each other.

It would be myopic to pretend putting diverse groups with shared historical experiences which have not all been pleasant, that the regional system of self-government would automatically erase the unpleasant past and bring automatic forgiveness or trust. However, it is reasonable to expect where persons, notwithstanding diversity and not-so-pleasant historical experiences, knowing that the development of one is hinged on the development of the other, would develop ways and means to work together, including building trust and avoiding and resolving conflicts.

Since the regional system was put in place, it is fair to say much has not been done within the last 36 years to strengthen it and allow the people within regions the needed autonomy to raise their own revenue and develop the region based on their plan. Outside of the rudimentary laws establishing the system, the system awaits legislations to allow it to function efficiently and effectively.

Since 1992, regional governments have become more diverse. It has been seen that leadership of Regional Democratic Councils are shared by different political parties or groups, outside of the strongholds of the two major political parties, the People’s Progressive Party/Civic and the People’s National Congress Reform. This fact may have informed incumbent government scepticism of strengthening the system, lest control by central government or dependency by the people on central government is lost.

Conversely, it is understandable Guyana was stepping into new territory in 1980 and there may remain some uncertainty how to proceed. After 36 years the Regional Government system is no longer new. By now it should have been up and running, already passed its teething phase, allowing the regions to work with each other on shared resources — human and natural — trading with each other, having their own tax system, which in itself lends for competition and incentives to do business or reside and executing an indigenous development plan, not having to solely rely on central government.

And while central government will still play a role in aiding development of the people via national laws, policies, revenues and security and, lending support to the regions through grants, the regions ought to by now have been allowed to raise and spend their money and provide needed services for the people in the communities.

It ought to be of concern to citizens that 36 years into the system to have regional chairmen/women calling or relying on central government to provide money or relief for things within the regions, under their responsibility, that were they empowered by laws to raise their own revenue, they could have done themselves.

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