In a notice signed by Minister Ganga Persaud, it was stated that an inquiry will begin today at 10:00 hours into the Anna Regina Town Council. The hearing will be held in the Anna Regina Town Council boardroom and will be conducted under section 305 of the Municipal and District Councils Act, Chapter 28:01.
All remaining councillors, former councillors, property owners, market vendors, business persons, workers and residents who so desire, may attend the inquiry and give testimony to the Commissioner, in keeping with the provisions of the Local Government Act.
In another public notice, the Local Government and Regional Development Minister declared that the ministry has received petitions from communities within the La Jalousie/Nouvelle Flanders Neighbourhood Democratic Council in Region 3, Little Diamond/Herstelling and Plaisance/Industry Neighbourhood Democratic Councils, seeking dissolution of the Neighbourhood Democratic Councils, in keeping with the provisions of Section 30 of the Local Government Act, Chapter 28:02.
As a result, Persaud has scheduled inquiries to begin on July 20 at 10:00 hours at the respective NDC Boardrooms of each neighbourhood.
The Ministry has in recent months embarked on a new series of inquiries and several NDCs have been dissolved and replaced by interim bodies. The NDCs were elected in 1994. Local government elections have not been held since then.
Critics have said that the government is trying to subvert the local government process by handpicking their supporters to replace elected councils. Doubts have also been raised about petitions that the ministry said have been received.
