ACTING President and prime minister of government challenged the country’s 10 municipalities to work in partnership with Central Government to foster development as he swore in the mayors and deputy mayors who were elected to office following the November 12, 2018 Local Government Elections.

The mayors and deputy mayors took their oath of office before the Acting President in the Credentials Room at the Ministry of the Presidency on Friday in the presence of Vice-President and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Carl Greenidge; Vice-President and Minister of Indigenous People’s Affairs, Sydney Allicock; Minister of State, Joseph Harmon; Minister of Communities, Ronald Bulkan, and Minister within the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, Valerie Garrido-Lowe.

In his address, Nagamootoo called on the local leaders to put aside their political differences and work with Central Government regardless, noting that through cooperation the 10 towns can be further developed for the betterment of the people.

“You depend (on Central Government) for subvention, for support in many ways, and some of the areas you will be managing as townships, they border on areas that are controlled by Central Government, so that you have to work with your Central Government to promote those programmes,” the Acting President said.

Councils are expected among other things to maintain cemeteries, roads, drains and bridges in addition to other facilities such as day cares, and with the help of government other major projects and programmes can be effectively executed.

The prime minister noted that the establishment of additional towns across the country forms part of President David Granger’s vision to decentralise Guyana’s governance system and simultaneously boost local democracy.

Traditionally, Guyana was known for having six towns Georgetown, the capital city; Linden, New Amsterdam, Rose Hall, Anna Regina, and Corriverton. However, since taking office in 2015, the A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC) Government under the stewardship of President Granger and with strong support from the communities minister, established commissioned four additional towns—Mabaruma, Lethem, Bartica and most recently Mahdia. In these towns, residents can now access essential administrative and commercial services. Many of them now have radio stations to promote and inform the populace of developments and opportunities.

For the Acting President, “this strengthens the concept of grassroots democracy.” He noted also that through these councils, the local citizenries are being empowered and given the opportunity to man their own resources.

“You should never believe that the idea of having towns is a waste of time, it is part and parcel of our consolidation, our strengthening and development of democracy with grassroots connections, what is called…people’s power.”

Mayor of Georgetown, Ubraj Narine; Mayor of Bartica, Gifford Marshall; Mayor of Linden, Waneka Arrindell; Mayor of New Amsterdam, Winifred Haywood; Mayor of Anna Regina, Rajendra Lall Prabhulall; Mayor of Corriverton, Winston Roberts; Mayor of Lethem, John Macedo; Mayor of Mabaruma, Chris Phang; Mayor of Mahdia, David Adam; and Mayor of Rose Hall, Chattergoon Ramnauth, were sworn in along with their deputies.

Those deputies include: Alfred Mentore (Georgetown), Wainwright McIntosh (New Amsterdam), Randolph Williams (Anna Regina), Wainwright Bethune (Linden), Carolyn Robertson (Mabaruma), Imran Amin (Corriverton), Debra King (Lethem) and Deonauth Harrinarine (Rose Hall).