Dear Editor,
It took the opposition APNU a while to mount a toughened effort and apply pressure to the government to set a date for urgently needed local government elections (LGE). None-theless, it’s better to be late than never.
Blue CAPS believe that despite the Alliance For Change’s motion to debate a no-confidence motion against the government in the National Assembly, the government through the Minister of Local Government should establish a date for LGE. In the event the no-confidence motion is carried, then general elections would constitutionally take precedence over LGE.
Blue CAPS notes the efforts of the Ministry of Local Government to expend $1billion on a national clean-up initiative. However, we are less than optimistic that this initiative will achieve much and be sustainable. It is time we move away from short-term fixes and focus on the structural issues afflicting our municipalities and Neighbourhood Democratic Councils. LGE is a necessary fundamental step to hold elected persons accountable for ensuring sustainable garbage disposal and waste management solutions.
Additionally, the current stalemate at the Georgetown municipality also reinforces the need for LGE and the respect for the rule of law. The constitution is designed for the people to elect their leaders at the local level and for those leaders to represent their interest as a councillor of the municipality. These councillors are expected to make decisions in the best interest of their constituencies. However, in Georgetown we have an undemocratic development where an administrator of the municipality’s affairs makes unilateral decisions and disobeys decisions of the democratically elected council. This situation represents a grave threat to our democracy.
This does not mean that we endorse the performance of the Georgetown City Council; nothing could be further from the truth. We call for LGE so that new and vibrant leadership can permeate and infuse the historic halls with effective and accountable decision-making.
Yours faithfully,
Clinton Urling
Executive Chairman
Blue CAPS Inc