MINISTER within the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development, Norman Whittaker, accompanied by officials from that ministry and Region 6, met and engaged residents and council members of the Crabwood Creek and Number 52/74 Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs) at their respective buildings in Region 6 last Thursday. The meetings formed part of a one-day local government ministerial outreach to Berbice, aimed at garnering the views, issues and concerns of the communities and local and regional entities towards enabling continued development of the communities. The specific visit to the NDCs allowed Minister Whittaker to impress on the councils the need to engage and collaborate with the residents towards this development.
He told the councils that NDCs were not expected to do the bigger things in the communities, as undertaking those things were expected of the Regional Democratic Councils (RDCs) and the various government ministries. Minister Whittaker observed that some NDCs do not enjoy the people’s confidence in their ability to function, and he questioned the existence of those entities. He said that, as the ministry moved around the country engaging residents, it has often been faced with requests to get rid of the NDCs. This, perhaps, may be because people were not aware of what the NDCs roles were.
He urged the members to reach out to the communities, so that the communities would be aware of the council’s work.
The official also urged the councils to build confidence and alliances with groups in the community, and to collaborate with those for greater development.
During the engagement, council members raised concerns over the overseers’ rotations. They questioned some council’s inability to pay some rotated overseers’ salaries and allowances, since in some instances those overseers would have been paid higher salaries at their previous offices.
Councillors of Number 52/74 NDC said the $3M subvention, received from the ministry to assist with the implementation of their work programmes, was too small for the operations of an NDC, which is an amalgamation of several communities.
Minister Whittaker explained that the Fiscal Transfer Bill, passed in the 9th Parliament, sought to correct this disparity with the allocation of subventions. He said that, should this bill be signed into effect, it would allow for NDCs with bigger populations, and those that work effectively, to be rewarded accordingly.
Councillors in Number 52/74 NDC suggested raising rates and taxes to increase their revenue collection. The NDC has been collecting 60% of its total rates and taxes. The minister suggested that increasing the rates would only put pressure on the 60% that was conforming; and suggested instead that the NDC seeks to change the attitude of residents towards paying their rates, and in so doing achieve a 100% collection rate.
The condition of a number of streets was of concern in both NDC areas. Streets that were mentioned in this respect included Second Street, Crabwood Creek; Well Tank Street in Number 73 Village; and First Street in Number 71 Village. Second street, Crabwood Creek is scheduled to have a crusher run treatment under the NDC 2012 budget, but regional officials promised to look at other long-term rehabilitation treatment for the street.
The minister promised the residents in Number 52/74 that he would engage the relevant officials to determine whether the more problematic roads could be facilitated for rehabilitation under the region’s 2012 current works programmes.
Residents’ concerns with regard to drainage, irrigation and access dams to their farming areas will also be addressed with the relevant authorities.