THE Mayor and Town Council of the municipality Bartica have declared independence in their leadership and plans for the town.

Following the no-confidence motion being won by the opposition, causing induced Central Government elections in the country, the Mayor of Bartica, Gifford Marshall and his council have professed their commitment to executing their promised plans to their people.

In an interview with the Guyana Chronicle, Mayor Marshall said that local government provides for autonomy, in that, the local leaders are not controlled by the central leaders.
“Municipalities are expected to be autonomous. The people would have spoken on November 12th, when they voted us as their respective representatives. Now we have to carry out our mandate of fulfilling our promises to transform our municipality,” Marshall said.

In fact, he believes that this is the opportune time to demonstrate to the people, the difference between local and central governance.

“We have a responsibility of differentiating regional, local and central governance, and I believe that this is our opportunity to show the people that regardless of what is occurring at the central level, we will continue to represent their best interest,” he added.

Mayor Marshall said that this will also in the interim, highlight why the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) saw local government as a necessity for development. “…because despite whatever disruptions may be had centrally, the local communities will not be vastly affected, since there will be leaders carrying out their duties in their respected Local Authority Areas.”

Just last week, the town council saw the last statutory meeting for the outgoing councillors and the first for the incoming. The leaders shared a bittersweet gathering in the boardroom of the town council, as they conveyed their sentiments on Bartica’s development and the way forward.

The outgoing members expressed satisfaction and contentment with their works over the past two and a half years. Previous Mayor, Kamal Persaud said that it was a privilege serving her community and she enjoyed every moment of bringing the town from where it was, to where it is.

Most of the past members indicated commitment to continue serving their community as a member, despite not in the leadership position.

The new council members are anxiously awaiting the New Year of which they will be officially instated to start executing their plans. They told the Guyana Chronicle that in spite of ruckus in the country, they will continue to exhibit transparency, loyalty and commitment to developing their town and bettering the lives of their people.
The lone Alliance For Change (AFC) representative, Zulfikar Hack said that he is saddened by the no-confidence motion but is even more encouraged to show his commitment to the coalition government.

“I will be supporting the plans that the coalition government has. I am saddened by the win of the PPP in the no-confidence motion, but where there is life, there is hope,” Hack said.

He shared that come January, his ambition to bring to the council is to empower the school drop outs in Bartica. He said that number of drop outs per year is very high, which means that the unemployment rate of young people are high as well. Making them marketable is a strategy that must be taken he said, therefore he will push to have a technical school in the town.

Each council member has a myriad of intentions for the small town and the mayor assured that they will be fulfilled.

“Subventions were already allocated for the municipality and the monies were already passed in the budget. I do not foresee any of our work being stifled as a result of what transpired on Friday,” Marshall said.