A TASK force primarily mandated to spearhead discussions on the way forward for the six municipalities across Guyana will explore options to generate financing for the local democratic organs, given that this is the main issue preventing development within those regions.Following a meeting of officials from the Ministry of Communities and municipal officers at the ministry’s boardroom yesterday, Communities Minister Ronald Bulkan made this disclosure. He explained that the ministry convened the interaction principally to reinforce that it will initiate programmes which allow for, and lead to, local democratic organs functioning with authority provided for under the constitutional framework.

Minister Bulkan said that topping the list of challenges which were highlighted by the authorities within the municipalities was that of financing. Adherence to by-laws and the existence of archaic laws still featuring in the legal framework governing local government were also discussed between the two stakeholders.

To address these issues, which could lead to resolution of most of the other issues plaguing the democratic organs, the minister disclosed, a task force will be established to continue the discussions which will commence today.
The task force responsible for addressing these issues will arrive at a decision regarding funding for the municipalities, to enable them to effectively discharge their functions. But the main source of funding, the minister explained, is the payment of rates by property owners to the municipalities.

The minister alluded to the fact that no recent evaluation of properties has been done. In fact, he said, the last evaluation was done decades ago, which renders the need for current evaluation, which will form the basis to determine what percentage of revenue will flow to council.

Additionally, he said, yesterday’s interactive discussions have led the Ministry of Communities to acknowledge that the capacity of the municipalities has been damaged and degraded, while other democratic organs have been rendered dysfunctional as a result of many factors.

“The system is broken…the attention of the ministry is to focus on repairing that system. It was recognised that too many of our communities across our country are in crisis, and these communities need constant care and attention; and the only way this can be made possible is for councils to be equipped to discharge their responsibilities to constituents,” the minister said.

He reiterated the ministry’s support for local democratic organs in this regard, and noted that the ministry remains “unequivocally” committed to collaborating and cooperating with the municipalities and local organs, not only to empower them, but to ensure that they’re meaningfully equipped so that they possess the capacity to deliver on their functions.

Just last month, the Local Government (Amendment) Bill 2015, which includes Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs) in the local government system for all purposes, was passed in the National Assembly. The passage of the bill, according to the minister, has signalled rebirth and renewal of local democracy in the country, with the aim of enabling the Administration to set about the task to repair the broken system that was inherited.

By Ravin Singh