LINDENERS are excited about impending local government elections because they anticipate, in the municipality, administrative changes with which the communities would have better opportunity of reformation and development.Since establishment of an Interim Management Committee in 2003, the Linden municipality continues to experience issues that residents believe are retarding the town’s development. One businessman, who opted to remain anonymous, lamented the poor management and quality of leadership emanating from the Mayor and Town Council.

“These individuals are tired and need to be removed,” he said. “We need to see new faces — and faces that will have the interest of the community at heart — and work together with the community to develop it and to serve the needs of the people.”

Linden’s Parliamentary Representative Mrs. Valarie Patterson, who shares similar sentiments, anticipates the installation of a council that would work with the people to find solutions to the town’s financial, developmental and management problems.

“The solutions are with the people, and we need persons (who) would involve the communities in their decision-making process,” Patterson said. She added that Lindeners also need to take ownership of their town and be more outspoken when displeased with management.

Local government election would allow for more community representation, rather than political representation, and this would eliminate several present concerns and irregularities, such as accountability and efficiency, since a recall mechanism would be implemented.

Head of the Interim Management Committee, Orrin Gordon, also looks forward to the holding of local government elections and changes to the current administration. He voiced his opinion on the issue, saying that he believes a lot of changes need to be made before local government elections are held, as the successors to the Linden IMC will be faced with the same issues that the current interim administration is facing.

He said the previous government’s lack of appreciation for the role local government plays in the governance of any country is the underlying factor for issues being faced not only by the Linden municipality, but by all others except Georgetown.

“With the lack of democratic renewal for years, local government is geared a lot on voluntarism; and with the absence of remuneration and motivation, efficiency will be absent,” Gordon opined.

He said the municipality needs competent people who would be committed to giving of their time, energies and expertise to the development of the town, and this is anticipated with the plural representation the town would enjoy after local government elections.

SERIOUS FINANCIAL ISSUES
The present (IMC) committee is forced to run a municipality with limited resources, as its members stand as an independent body entirely dependent on the collection of rates and taxes. With the current tax regime, which has not been updated since 1976, the monies accumulated can suffice for only 25% of the council’s expenses, according to Mr. Gordon.

“Persons are paying rates and taxes (of) between $600 and $800 per year, and this is because the valuation level has never changed since 1976. This is very outdated, because of inflation and other factors,” Gordon mentioned.

The committee has recommended to the government several changes which will save the new administration, when elected, tackling issues responsible for the council’s current financial state.

Among recommendations are that the valuation regime be geared towards Linden’s current standard of living, and that part proceeds from every ton of bauxite and timber leaving the town should be given to the municipality.

Operation of the toll booth, which the previous government halted so as to give concessions to Bai Shan Lin, should be re-established. The municipality lost in excess of 200 million dollars from non-use of the toll booth when Bai Shan Lin was transporting lumber out of the town, it has been learnt.

The council also recommends that the Local Government Act be reformed, as this act has cost the municipality several projects, because absolute authority was not granted the municipality to pursue several developmental projects.

“These recommendations need the immediate attention of the government, so that an atmosphere will be created to attract a new administration of vigour and efficiency, (which) will commit themselves to the service of the people,” Gordon declared.

The interim management committee has been in operation for 13 years now, and the people of Linden are anticipating local government election so that the municipality can progress.

By Vanessa Braithwaite