Written by MOHAMED KHAN (Former Deputy Mayor)
IT would seem that the local government bodies in Region Two are crashing as another Councillor and Chairman of the Charity/Urasara Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) has resigned following alleged mismanagement of the Council’s affairs, misuse of fuel and inflated transportation claims for attending meetings and site visits within the Charity/Urasara area.

Councillors of the Neighbourhood Democratic Council are calling on the Minister of Local Government to hold a fresh election, urgently, so the councillors can elect a new chairman for the Charity/Urasara NDC.

These councillors and stakeholders are against the installation of an Interim Management Committee ( IMC) as proposed by the Regional Chairman to conduct the affairs of the present council.

Under the Local Government Act Chapter 28:02, councillors can present arguments in support of fresh election to be held if the chairman has resigned and there is no acting vice-chairman.
Charity/Urasara was accorded its boundaries in August 4, 1994 under the new Local Government Act. PPP won the majority of seats, myself and Mr Vishnu Samaroo who was then the PPP party organiser was nominated by the late Dr Cheddi Jagan to witness the swearing in of the new councillors and the chairman Mr Ayube Khan.
The NDC’s /RDC relations have been inconsistent in this region since the beginning of 1994 and often being politicised causing problems for the smooth functioning of these NDC’s and municipality.
While it is useful for the RDC to know what NDCs within this region are involved in, an NDC like Charity/Urasara should be entitled to deal directly with the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development (MLGRD) and not the regional chairman.
It is now widely accepted knowledge that the IMC is too politicised and a failure as councillors tend to have much of the necessary information and expertise in what works and what does not and in identifying real needs and priorities for their council once they know the Local Government Act. Councillors make daily use of service and programmes related to each other across multiple differences.