Dear Editor,

ALLOW me to express my views through your medium on the recent announcement made by the Hon. Vice-President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, whereby the Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs) will be receiving an additional $25 million ($30m), and the Mayor and Town Council (M&TC) an addition of somewhere around $32 million ($50m) to their yearly subventions.

I must commend the government for taking such a bold step in giving much more access to the Local Government Authorities in having the resources they needed to serve the people and make the communities a better place through positive developmental programmes that will have an impact on all within.

Prior to the announcement by the Vice- President, the Local Government Bodies (M&TCs and NDCs) were all crying out that they do not have adequate funds to better their communities, and that is why they cannot have a positive impact on the development of the communities.

But we all know that many of the NDCs and M&TCs are weak in leadership and lazy in doing the work, and have become “little lords” over the people after being elected to serve, whereby they fail to listen and serve the residents within the various villages and communities.

We all know that while those bodies were getting their yearly subventions, the RDCS would also use their budgetary allocations to intervene and help the LAAs in various ways, be it resurfacing or building of new streets, buildings, clearing of drains, etc.

Residents within the LAAs always called for better management and things to be done that would enhance their communities, but those bodies would turn a deaf ear to what is being called for.

Accountability is not there within most of the LAAs, and those bodies would give out contracts or subcontracts to sitting councilors also, which, for me, is not right because it’s a conflict of interest to give a contract to a sitting councilor or their family or relatives.

Those bodies are collecting millions of dollars in taxes, be it property tax or from markets where existing and also from garbage collections, and many times won’t give account or do anything with those funds to develop the villages, the youths, or facilities within, but rather just have lavish monthly unproductive statutory meetings.

With that being said, let me say that those bodies will have access yearly to more than the now thirty (30) and fifty (50) million dollars, because they will continue to collect rates and taxes, which is within their rights to do.

Now that the NDCs and M&TCs have access to those funds, we, the people, must demand accountability from them at all times.  Residents have the right to sit in at any of their statutory meetings to hear what’s happening and raise concerns about matters affecting them, and also if questionable issues/matters arise.  Many times it happens as a cuss-down within those meetings because of a lack of accountability and dictatorship from some within the council.

Now that additional and adequate resources are being provided to those bodies, the citizens must become the watchdogs in ensuring there is accountability and transparency with the NDCs and M&TCs.

I believe that before projects are proposed, those bodies MUST invite the public and meet with the residents (not a few) and listen to their proposals, then decide on which is better for the community, not what a few councilors decide. Those bodies must allow the residents to monitor the projects while it is ongoing and provide the necessary information to the residents so that they can positively monitor the projects.

I believe that the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development should put a stern warning that councils should not give handout contracts to sitting councilors or their families, or relatives, but must have a process where all the local contractors within the villages have the opportunity to go through a local open tendering and bid process, and then meet with the residents and publicly award the work to the most fitting bidder after a proper elevation is done.

The sports clubs within those bodies should now demand that their grounds, pavilions, and other facilities are properly maintained.  Residents must now see better drainage and irrigation works, better garbage collection, maintenance of the bridges and streets, etc.

The LAAs cannot now say they don’t have money to use and allow the people within the communities to suffer because this government made it possible for us all to now live in a better and cleaner community with positive development by providing the much-needed resources.

I call on all councils to ensure that they use the additional monies to better communities and have positive projects where all can benefit and not use it unwisely or as if it is their spending fees. Once again, I must thank the government for stepping in to ensure that communities are positively developed for the betterment of its people and also for fulfilling yet another one of their many promises.

Respectfully,

Abel Seetaram