THE establishment of new towns has given citizens in their respective communities an opportunity to activate municipal laws. Unlike towns that have foundational laws, the regional democratic councils, though constitutionally established, do not have the requisite autonomy to make decisions, inclusive of the establishment of indigenous government structures and the raising of revenues.

Lethem is one of the newly established towns, and is located in Region 9, the largest region in terms of geographic space; besides, it borders Brazil. Given that it is still in its embryonic stage, its success will be reliant on development of infrastructure and institutions that would allow residents to realise their potential and that of the environs. Such requires going above and beyond the constitutional and legal documents that established the boundaries and demarcated the town.

The Local Government Elections saw the instalment of new councillors. This new cadre of leaders, political and administrative, will need to be equipped with the requisite knowledge and skills, which include the making of by-laws, raising and managing revenue, and crafting an indigenous vision that would redound to the people’s benefit.

Lethem’s population is diverse. The demographic includes Guyanese across the ethnic spectrum, with a visible presence of Brazilians and Chinese. This reality can be both challenging and rewarding, in the sense of being able to effectively ward off cultural imperialism and ensuring dominance of the Guyanese identity. While Guyana has no border issue with Brazil, the fact that there are border issues with Suriname and Venezuela necessitates the crafting of a policy that would reinforce and solidify sovereignty and identity.

Another factor that requires examination is ensuring the residents stay connected with the coastland, where the centre of government and more than 90 percent of the population reside. This brings to the fore the importance of the information communications infrastructures which are not only important for connectivity but also for other factors, such as access to educational sources/materials and trade.
For instance, the Internet service provided to the community comes through a Brazilian provider. The landline service provided by the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GT&T) needs urgent attention to bring it on par with that provided on the coastland.

Another characteristic of a town is its ability to provide basic social services, such as healthcare. Given the less-than-desired quality of service in that community, and the distance and cost to get to the coastland to access same, persons find it faster and more economical to access such service in Brazil. A consequence of this sees residents who are contributors to the National Insurance Scheme (NIS) unable to make a claim for refund of medical expenses. This has implications for workers’ socio-economic wellbeing.

In the area of commerce, there is a cross-section of businesses and free movement of Guyanese and Brazilians across the border. Brazilians find employment in Lethem as undocumented workers, and a similar situation exists with Guyanese in Brazil. This highlights an immigration issue, and a porous border.

Though the relationship with Guyanese and their foreign counterparts is one of camaraderie/civility, there exists the need for a regulated environment which should not be designed to exclude foreign nationals, but to protect nationhood. Given the distance from the coastland, Lethem residents have, over the years, forged familial bonds with Brazilians, who are more accessible than the majority of their Guyanese counterparts.

A symbiotic relationship has been forged between the Brazilians and Guyanese, and this, at a foreign policy level, augurs well for diplomacy and bilateral trade. Such cooperation and accommodation have to be guided and executed with an eye on ensuring sovereignty of the nation and the development of the people and their environs. Being honest about these realities and treating with then will make Lethem worthy of emulation.