THE guiding principle and philosophy of the government to regional development is to reduce the disparities between the living conditions and access to social services and amenities between the hinterland and coastland populations, according to Minister of Communities Ronald Bulkan.
The minister made the remarks during the recent budget 2019 debate in the National Assembly.

Bulkan said the over-arching obligation of the ministry in this context is to continuously provide necessary technical support for the realisation of strategic objectives of the core programmes of Education, Public Health, Public Infrastructure and Agriculture.
Minister Bulkan said the regional development agenda is also guided by the principle of expanded participation in decision-making to enable the regions to be effective in keeping with the policy of decentralisation.

“With this objective in view, the ministry will focus on strengthening the capacities of regional structures to be better able to provide sustainable, development-related services; the institutionalisation of the Regional Agriculture and Commercial Exhibitions and other mechanisms such as the Regional Development Consultative Committee and NRDCC,” Bulkan said.

Underscoring that the leader of the opposition is of the view that the 2019 budget came up short on plans for the emerging sector, Minister Bulkan said clearly, Jagdeo did not give serious consideration to what was presented.
“Budget 2019 has clearly articulated the vison of the government; a vision which resides with the people; the removal of a centralised decision-making model to one of community participation and cooperation that will enhance local economic development and self-determination,” he said.

Further, Minister Bulkan said that the opposition’s opinion that the 2019 budget is “tone deaf” is a deliberate attempt at undermining the empowerment of citizens and undermining the empowerment of constituencies.
He questioned how more divorced from reality can the opposition get when every citizen of this land is aware that the major constraint to councils delivering quality services, is the limited resources at their disposal.

“These pronouncements represent the philosophy of the opposition for local government, of control, for he who pays the piper calls the tune. Candidates prior to the election and the convening of a council to deliberate on the community interest and priorities; were emphatic, we will NOT be doing such and such; Why? Mr Speaker, because they are in receipt of instructions from Robb Street NOT to exercise their constitutional right to autonomy and to develop their own programmes,” Bulkan noted.

Adding that the theme of Budget 2019 is “Transforming the Economy, Empowering People, Building Sustainable Communities for the Good Life” encapsulates the vision of this government. Bulkan said this is a vision which government has never shied away from, that an empowered nation with an empowered people is critical to advancing national development, building cohesion, transforming the economy and affording the needed opportunities for sustainable communities and a good life.