Dear Editor,
The recent realities surrounding the matters of the upcoming Local Government Elections are bitter sweet to me. As I watched the myriad of contestants who graced the stages of the Merundoi-sponsored debates, and as I listened to what was being said, I was both hopeful and disappointed, but mostly disappointed.

If there is one thing that shines through among the candidates, it is the lack of administrative and conceptual acumen. It is as if some of those offering themselves to the electorate just woke up one day and decided that they will try a thing. For some, it is obvious that they are running simply to pad the votes for the group or party they represent. For example, of the six individuals seeking to represent my district, only two showed up for a nationally broadcast debate. The utter disregard and blatant disrespect for the constituents cannot be more pronounced. The residents of district 8 must have been very disappointed in those seeking to represent them. And I hope that the voters reflect their sentiments at the polls.

We have a very broken country, and the only persons who don’t seem to understand this are those whose heads are buried in the sand. Hardly anything works efficiently in Guyana. What we need at this time in the City’s administration, are people with ideas and plans on where we go from here. We cannot afford to retrogress! And we should not be reinventing the wheel. All the countries attached to us on this South American continent are way ahead of us developmentally. All the countries to which we travel for our business or vacation trips are miles ahead of us administratively.

Therefore, all we have to do is piggyback on systems that they have used and are using to stay ahead of the game. We should not be reverting to behaviours and practices of a past failed era.
Those of us vying for Councillors’ positions should be revolutionary in our thoughts. It is obvious that we will have to fight to change the archaic statuesque of sameness and “blame gaming”.

Mr. Royston King is offending some folks, and well he will. He seems to have a handle on what the City needs at this time. With an objective Council, a little more proactive PR work, and a flexible touch of finesse, I think he will do just fine. Those of us taking up our seats in the Council should ready ourselves to work with the Town Clerk.

Most of us who will grace those hallowed halls of the City Hall after the 18th will be newbies, with the much need ‘fresh blood’ and ‘shot in the arm’ that are pivotal at this time. However, we have got to hit the ground running. The immediate development and sustaining of our constituencies should excite us. The needs of our individual communities should be clear in our minds. We should not be promising to do everything for everyone, because we will not be able to deliver and folks will be disappointed. However, there are some much-needed things that have to be priority.

In Constituency 8, we have some infrastructural problems, especially the sewer system and the drainage. However, at the top of my mind is the huge unemployment crisis among our young Black men, many of whom are involved in the buying and/or selling of drugs. We also have a troubling lack of after-school care programmes, a situation which compounds our academic problems and feeds children into the drugs trade.

My role as the representative of the Wortmanville/Werk-en-Rust area will be to appeal to my fellow councillors for the immediate institution of the Miscellaneous Powers of Councils clause (Municipal and District Councils Act – Article 28:01), which allows for the funding of educational institutions, relief of necessitous persons, agriculture, arts and craft. (Pt. IX 301 {12-16}).

Upon assuming office, I will immediately convene meetings in my constituency for all those who are unemployed and under-employed. I will seek consensus from the residents to formulate plans, programmes and entrepreneurial endeavours to assist with the alleviation of our unemployment and academic problems. I would suggest that all capital works being funded by the M&CC in my district be executed – wherever possible – by the residents of my district. This will allow for several community development spin offs: 1. It will engender a sense of community pride, 2. It will make for communal checks and balances, and 3. It will help with our unemployment problem.

I will also continue to negotiate for the establishment of a solid waste plant to monetize the garbage collection across the City. The plant will buy the City’s garbage, and then sell its electricity and gas to the national grid. I will take time to explain to my constituents how this will benefit them financially.

On the academic front, I will seek assistance from our expanded diaspora, local spiritual organizations, and other civic-minded individuals to provide help in cash and kind to aid with our academic remedial programmes. I will make overtures to retired teachers, professionals and academics, and we will set up coordinating groups and use school buildings, community centres and churches as satellite sites for academic classes and other life skills program.

I will also ask to be a member of the statutory Social Development Committee (Article 28:01 Pt III #58), so that we could expand similar activities across the Georgetown municipality. Guyana needs help, and those of us seeking public office must be willing to put our shoulders to the plow. If ever there was a time for us to put into effect the intent of our National Pledge, it is now: …And to dedicate my energies towards the happiness and prosperity of Guyana. Let us cooperate for Guyana.
Editor, another thing that disappoints me in my campaigning is the oft repeated remarks from folks who say that they will vote for a party or group, no matter who the local constituency representative is. I am prayerfully hoping that that is not the case in the upcoming LGE. People need to vote for individuals who will best represent their local causes. I have chosen for my logo a white dove, a symbol of peace and hope. I would like to bring folks together in the spirit of social cohesion for the betterment of my district. Guyanese need to move away from voting party and race, and we need to elect people based on their ideas and the issues they articulate.

After 23 years of disenfranchisement, it would be a sad and shameful day if Guyanese vote along party lines or for their friends and family. That will prove unequivocally that we have not grown politically or informatively. I am counting on the constituents of district 8 to exhibit a level of intelligence that transcends petty partisan politics. The Wortmanville/Werk-en-Rust area can become a model community for the rest of the country to follow, and with the right Councillor, we will be well on our way. Can we do it…?

Regards
Wendell. P. Jeffrey, Pastor
Independent Candidate
Wortmanville/Werk-en-Rust, District #8