THE Guyana Municipal Governance and Management Programme 2001 was tasked with the major responsibility of guiding and overseeing the entire process in developing a good municipal agenda. The training component serves three purposes, first it provide opportunities for municipal staff to become skilled in financial management. This would include the ability to cost out separable activities and consider the feasibility of user changes or privatisation. The analysis of municipal financial management undertaken as a part resulted in recommendations for assisting municipalities to improve critical aspects of financial management. Previous consulting reports have recommended that subventions for municipalities from the national government be predictable, and several have proposed that the national government share specific revenues. However, a recommendation for significant increases in national government revenues to municipalities is, at this time premature. First, it is common that municipalities in former British systems outside of Guyana finance a range of activities that include policing, fire protection, and significant contribution to education from their property tax base. Members of the wider multi-sector municipal community are important stakeholders in the Guyana Municipal Governance and Management Consultations with, and involvement of these community members are considered key elements. Consultations with this wider community must go beyond merely collecting information from its members. It must incorporate partnership and collaborations, through shared understanding and decision making, ownership and responsibilities. There are also serious concerns around how participation affects decision making -that participation means everyone will want to be involved in making key decisions. Poverty in Guyana is multi-faceted and far reaching. It is manifested in poor social infrastructure, inadequate service, lack of economic opportunities, and in dwindling financial and human resources. Levels of poverty are also influenced by inequities in the society. Poverty levels among women across the different racial groups are more acute than in the general population. Guyana is a multi-ethnic society with six ethnic groups, two of which, Indo-Guyanese, and Afro Guyanese, represent the majority of the population. The society has been experiencing deep social upheavals in recent years, and has been plagued by racial and partisan conflicts, often resulting in violence. Race and partisan political affiliations have often intersected and used as divisive instruments to the detriment of the quality of life in most communities. Peace building and unity in this upcoming local government election should be the main focus between all the parties contesting. It is important that approaches include those that bring the diverse groups/elements together to shape a common understanding of local government.
MOHAMED KHAN