Introduction: Stabroek News has invited the People’s Progressive Party/Civic, A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and the Alliance For Change to submit a weekly column on governance and related matters. Only APNU has submitted a column this week.
The expectation of the framers of the 1980 Constitution in relation to the new system of local government was to create self-reliant, productive and prosperous communities of people. In this regard Hugh Desmond Hoyte who led the debate in Parliament on the new local government system was pellucid in his presentation. He was forthright; his language was unambiguous. He said: “A local authority will have power to do anything which it considers necessary for the development of its area and the welfare of its people.
It can, since it has a duty for economic development, become involved in economic activities. It has to be involved in training. It has to be involved in activities to ensure that people are not exploited, it has to be involved in work to encourage the people to take charge of the various areas of activities which impinge upon their welfare and well-being. For that purpose … there will be absolutely no inhibition on the power of a local authority to become involved in economic or other activities. This new system with its requirements of participation, involvement and self-management, will enable the production forces in the region to become liberated, for it will generate local enthusiasm, it will stimulate local initiative and will contribute powerfully to the real development of the areas.”
It can be seen, therefore, that the ten regional democratic councils and their various “sub-divisions” (municipalities and neighbourhood councils), have a clearly defined mandate to administer and manage their respective areas. These local democratic organs are not meant to be appendages or creatures of the central government as is the current practice; their authority is embedded and concretized in the constitution. Article 75 guarantees their “autonomy”; their duties and responsibilities are enshrined in the fundamental law of the State. They are not left to chance and are not left to be promulgated by inferior legislation.
Current legislation is unambiguous as to the duties of local democratic organs. Among these are the following: to maintain and protect public property; to protect and improve the physical environment; to improve working and living conditions; to stimulate economic activities and improve production and efficiency; to promote the social and cultural life of the people; to raise the level of civic consciousness; to preserve law and order; to safeguard the rights of the people; and to give advice, encouragement and support to the people in their daily activities and to give leadership by example.[Act 12/1980 and Cap. 28:09, Laws of Guyana].
Thirty four years have passed since the new local government system was introduced but it is yet to be operationalized. The absence of this results in the central government remaining in effect, the sole giver of all things. It creates a situation whereby general elections become a divisive event in national life, given the ethnic configuration of the country and entrenched voter alignments along racial lines.
Eighty two centres of governmental authority, instead of one, will result in not only more efficient management of communities, leading to cleaner, more prosperous and safer communities but will over time, help to eliminate the ethnic tension that traditionally accompanies general elections with its winner-takes-all makeup. Within such a framework, politicians vying for elected offices will have to bring to the table, proven ability as well as meaningful plans and programmes as voters will see no incentive to give their support on the basis of irrelevant considerations such as racial similarity.
Social cohesion which has eluded Guyana for more than one hundred and seventy five years is more likely to become a reality. Rapid progress and real human development will be the end result. The society and people’s future will no longer be victim to racial competition or ethnic superiority.
Local democracy, therefore, is not merely about the holding of local government elections (though a prerequisite); for it to become a reality, however, it requires a central government that will partner with local democratic organs and allow them to function in accordance with the authority and autonomy which the constitution guarantees them. Successive People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) administrations have denied citizens their constitutional right to practice local democracy. The PPP/C has shown itself studiously opposed to the concept of local empowerment, wedded as it is to central control and domination over all aspects of people’s lives and approach to governance. This addiction has led to stultification, leading to rot and decay in communities countrywide.
Local democracy, as envisaged and legislated by framers of the constitution, is an idea whose time has arrived. A government led by A Partnership for National Unity will ensure that existing constitutional provisions relating to local democracy are honoured and implemented as a matter of urgent priority.
Vote APNU for A New Beginning.
