Stabroek News has invited the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and the Alliance for Change to submit a weekly column on local government and related matters. The PPP/C has declined the offer. Only APNU has submitted a column this week.
The People’s Progressive Party – in its 2011 Elections Manifesto titled ‘Working Together For A Better Tomorrow’ – pledged, under the heading ‘Reinvigorating Local Government’, that “In the area of local government and governance, the next PPP/C Government will :
˗ Ensure, within one year of the 2011 general elections, that local government elections are held, bringing much needed reinvigoration into local government entities;
˗ Enhance accountability and transparency in the operations of local government bodies especially as it relates to the awarding of contracts;
˗ Put greater emphasis on coordination between central government agencies and the local government bodies”.
˗ Three years later, the PPP has failed to fulfill its promises.
The media, over the past two weeks has been littered with articles of protest activity by residents in Mahdia, the administrative centre of the Potaro-Siparuni,