Opposition Leader, Brigadier (ret’d) David Granger is calling on the government to expedite local government reforms so that local government elections can be held soon.
“Local government elections have not been held since 1994 and the time has come when the country cannot continue in this vein,” Granger declared in a statement from the Office of the Leader of the Opposition, noting that the call comes in the wake of a number of issues relating to local democracy.
He said “it is evident that local democracy is being trampled upon. Little regard is being shown for the various tiers of government – be they Regional Democratic Councils or Neighbourhood Democratic Councils.”
Granger, also the leader of APNU, accused Local Government Ministers Ganga Persaud and Norman Whittaker of taking “a high-handed and heavy-fisted approach by transforming overseers from one NDC to another without any prior consultation with either the NDC or the overseers themselves.”
According to the Opposition Leader, the fear of loss of jobs by the overseers has resulted in their not speaking out although most if not all are not in agreement with the move.
“The disrespect shown in failing to consult the NDCs on this move is alarming. But the administration continues with its approach to trample on peoples’ democracy,” Granger added.
He said further that at the moment the government is going around to the various NDCs installing IMCs without bothering to consult these various bodies before attempting to do so.
“What is worse,” he contended, “is that these IMCs are being staffed with PPP/C cronies. The most recent was the NDC in Bartica, Region 7, where fifteen PPP/C nominees were installed as NDC councillors and the four other councillors perceived to be independent nominees were entirely left out.”
Granger declared that these new appointees must be rejected by residents as the Lethem and Kwakwani NDCs did.
“While there must be maximum participation with fully constituted councils, there must also be adequate consultation before imposing appointees on the people of Guyana,” Granger maintained.
He pointed out too that not only is the government imposing itself on the NDCs but the case of the RDCs is no different.
Granger charged that there has been gross disrespect for the Region 4 administration and the allocation made for this region has been severely cut from its original proposal.
And now that it has been cut, he said, the correct path should have been to go back to the region to re-prioritize its programme for the approved expenditure but the administration has decided on what and how the money would be spent.
“Why then did the government request a programme and estimates from the Region?”, he queried, pointing out that regions must be allowed to function but this is not happening.
Rather, he noted, the government is using its Regional Executive Officers to do their bidding.
Granger said it must be noted too that “the REO is the Clerk of the Regional Democratic Council; hence, he must execute the decisions of the Council.”
