A GOVERNMENT delegation led by Minister of State, Joe Harmon, recently visited Linden in an exercise that was described as “taking government to the people.” From all reports, it seems to have been a most welcomed intervention by the authorities, as residents of the once thriving mining town were given opportunity to air their grievances in a direct manner. The government, for its part, got a chance to reconnect with one of its core constituencies, which, while a loyal voting bloc, has not always toed the official line.This visit to Linden is significant, as the government has been criticized in some quarters for being inattentive to the needs of individual communities, particularly those deemed to be part of its “safe constituency.”
Direct democracy is an old form of democratic engagement, which has long given way to a representative democracy whereby communities elect representatives who ostensibly act on their behalf. However, as government moved further away from the people, and as local governments became more and more subsumed by the central government, the need for direct democracy resurfaced.

One of the noteworthy observations of the visit to Linden is that the delegation was not confined to politicians. Representatives of government agencies charged with delivering essential services, such as the GRA and the GWA, were on hand to hear from residents. This is a very useful model, as it exposes the bureaucrats from the central government to realities of places that are far away from their offices in Georgetown. We know only too well that these government functionaries tend to be woefully out of touch with what happens in especially rural communities — an affliction that negatively affects the government’s ability to effectively provide services to these communities.

The visit led to some on-the-spot decisions that could bring relief to the residents. It has been announced that a passport office would be opened in the community; a move that would save residents lots of time. The Guyana Water Authority also announced that the community would have access to treated water by mid-August. This has been a longstanding problem in Linden, and it appears to have finally been satisfactorily addressed. The GRA also intimated that it was able to address the concerns of shopkeepers and other businesspeople in the area.

There has to be some concern that these visits do not, in any way, undermine the functioning of local governments; but the fact that the latter have complained about lack of adequate resources seems to indicate that they would welcome the intervention by the central government. In the end, these governments would have to be empowered to be able to more effectively carry out their mandate.

There is also the issue of partisan politicking in the guise of government outreach. This thin line will always be a concern for those mindful of strict separation between party and state. While there was the obvious political benefit for the government, the fact that the bureaucrats were there ensured that the exercise was more than just politicking. In the final analysis, the visit was a benefit to all concerned.

It is hoped that the promises made would be fulfilled; this can help to restore confidence in government. And the government should continue these outreaches in all communities, including those communities that did not vote for it.