I argued two weeks ago that the optimal operation of local democracy in our situation will depend very much upon how it is actually structured, i.e. how power within the system is dispersed. To elaborate, it would be best if the system contains a high level of autonomy, certain and independent financing and creative ways to facilitate ethnic and gender balance. Furthermore, where, in the interest of efficiency or coordination, superior bodies at the central and regional levels are necessary, they should be elected and/or appointed as directly as possible by the local bodies themselves. Those wanting to remove or subvert local power must have to go through hoops to achieve their aim! Thus, all of the elements must be properly entrenched, if necessary by way of a super parliamentary majority.
The 1980 Constitution established a National Congress of Local Democratic Organs (NCLDO), which with the National Assembly formed the Supreme Congress of the People (SCP). The NCLDO consisted of twenty elected councilors – two from each region – to represent the interest of and have certain oversight functions over local government in Guyana. The 2001 constitutional reformers repealed both the NCLDO and the SCP and appear to have replaced the former with a Local Government Commission.
The Local Government Commission Bill 2012 sought to establish the Local Government Commission with powers to deal with the staffing of local government organs and disputes between local authorities. But the Bill also gave the commission other important powers, namely to monitor and review the performance and implementation of the policies of all local government organs, including taxation and protection of the environment; to monitor, evaluate and make recommendations on policies, procedures and practices of all local government organs in order to