Frankly Speaking… By A.A. Fenty
-Regionalism, Race and Politics
Quite apart from his Guyana Water Inc Camp Resolutions outreaches, the relatively new-kid-on-the-block Minister of Housing (and Water) was in Region Three – the West Demerara – towards the last week-end.
His housing specific activity at Vreed-en-Hoop (Dutch for “Peace and Hope”) should offer a glimmer of hope for the long-years-delayed evolution – or shouldn’t it be devolution (?) of a fundamental form of much-touted governance of this land. I refer to the essence and serious development of regionalism – the country’s Regional System.
Okay, I know many of you may be indifferent, even hostile to the worn-out wish of the “Regions” becoming really independent, in a manner of speaking. Really de-centralised and self-reliant. Bear with me. Students – and veterans – of our sometimes laughable, beleaguered regional system, can learn a lot from the young Minister’s foray into the West Dem last week. Mind you, he even took his Development Planner with him. But first, the swiftest of backward glances.
“De Region(s)…”
I think that it was in 1980 that Desmond Hoyte superintended Mr. T. A. Earle who created the Ten Administrative Regions into which this Dear Land of Guyana was divided.
As with Regions and Provinces in other (better organized) countries, each of our “Regions” was to have become in time, an independent Economic unit capable of a significant level of self-reliance and local, decentralized administrative governance.
Alas! Some three decades after the lofty ideals and ambitious, but relatively realistic objectives, “De Regions” are but a sad reflection of the general under-development of this country.
Successive governments, Frankly Speaking, never put in place, nor cared to provide, mechanisms and personnel for independent Regional decision-making. Not Autonomy, mind you – as I’m not silly enough to think that the Central government(s) would trust even their own to be “independent” at Anna Regina, Lethem or Mahdia.
But everything remained centralized in the hands and desk drawers of “De Minister” and the Cabinet in Georgetown. Granted that the skills, administrative, economic planning expertise, the human-resource base in every Region remained fragile, no Region was ever given opportunity and space to develop all-round resources. All we ever had were the elections, the visits, the promises and pledges of Local Government Reform. Underlying the Regional under-development, of course, was “De Politics”, to which I’ll return later.
Housing, the Minister and Planner
On the surface, the Housing Minister’s assignment on the West Demerara last Friday was, or should be, of mighty significance to the devolution and (delayed) development of Local Self-Government! Why?
Because, whilst mindful of the Regional and Village/Community challenges and short-comings, his Ministry was handing over the responsibility and management of several (of the Ministry’s) Housing schemes and projects to the appropriate Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDC’S). How significant! (In passing, since I was with Government’s information outfit then, I always smirked at the “Socialist” orientation (?) of Burnham, Hoyte and Earle: “Neighbourhood Democratic Councils” indeed! What local democracy? But there was the eager young Minister and his Public Servant Planner meaning well. There was talk of: “Partnership Approach”, “expanding relationship and collaborative approach”, “Governance Mechanism” and “official creation of ownership”, and so on.
I am tempted to quote the Minister and the good lady as their statements and charges to local West Demerara, Region Three leaders were indicative as to what is both right and wrong about Regional Development even as they acknowledged, implicitly, the realities of Central Government dominance and local challenges.
In summary though, both were saying that the handing over of the various schemes to community management reflected and meant – – partnership between the Ministry’s Housing/Planning Authority and the NDC, in “building local ownership of the Housing Development programme”; that the handing over represented the government’s will to ensure a “governance mechanism in managing the investment and infrastructure” developed at the national level and ownership at the local/community level”. Huh? Ownership?
The lady Planner also outlined to the NDC’s just how the “empowerment” would work – from the partnership monitoring and advisory relationship, to the NDC decision-making and collection of rates and taxes from the Housing areas. She even provided the locals with a manual on infrastructure maintenance and, most likely, the ministry’s regulations, planning requirement and standards.
As I’ve indicated all this is thrilling, though long overdue. But will it work? It must, really. But how long will collaboration and partnership override autonomy? For years, I bet. But congrats, Housing Ministry. It’s a welcome late start.
What regionalism?
More politics!
I’ve hinted that I always felt that the Central (Party) governments couldn’t trust even their own to run the Regions, as Georgetown wished, over the years.
Local, Regional Democracy has to do with what (hopefully) wise, responsible, experienced residents want. And know is realistic and appropriate. Funding controlled by the capital, decisions based on political considerations will never allow Regional communities to flourish. (Ask even the inept G.T-City Council!) I’ll leave the question, the allegations of racial discrimination alone, for now.
Like the Corentyne’s Region Six, Region Three (“West Dem”) is traditionally pro-PPP, at elections time. Of course, this was not a consideration for the handing over of the West Dem Schemes. Only the readiness of the projects and the Housing Ministry’s shepherding.
Alas, as I read of Regional/local wranglings in Regions Four and Ten, for example and as campaign/elections time looms, I wonder which back seat Regional development will return to.
Ponder…
*1) Pure nostalgia seeing/hearing Christopher Kit Nascimento chatting with the American Journalist on the State-friendly Channel 11 TV. Kit has significant experience in both the private and “government“ media.
*2) Road Safety month is upon us. Stand by for …
*3) Of course. Any enquiry must accommodate the alleged 200 “Roger Khan” murders –and the other 100’s Non-Khan killings.
*4) Ridiculous mediocrity at the 10K International finish line on Sunday!
*5) Coming next Friday: Just a sperm (Donor)?
‘Til Next Week!
(Comments? allanafenty@yahoo.com)