The upcoming local government elections will cost $1.3B, according to Minister of Communities Ronald Bulkan, who says it is an investment in good governance.
During the budget debate last Wednesday, Bulkan told the House that this high priced investment will deepen the democratic process, which is a concept to which that government is committed.
The elections, due to be held on March 18, were last run off in 1994.
According to Bulkan, the Fiscal Transfers Act does not mandate the Central Government to provide funding to local government organs but rather it outlines a formula for organs to access budgetary allocations. Against this background, he said that the election of 71 new councils will be accompanied “by this new philosophy that sees central government providing support as opposed to seeking to dictate to and dominate the affairs of local government organs.”
Bulkan assured that the “hand of control” has been replaced with the “hand of collaboration and cooperation.”
He said that the current crisis that has blanketed towns and villages will be replaced by community renewal, through which people will be allowed to practise their constitutional right to manage and develop their areas. “This is what I mean…by communitarianism. What we will have is community solidarity,” he informed, before adding that the fresh approach to community management will see partnership, respect and not a desire to dominate. “The present rotten local government system will be rehabilitated.
The degeneration of our communities will give way to rebirth and renewal when local leaders are elected and allowed to make decisions on those areas that directly affect their well-being,” he said.
According to Bulkan, one only has to look at the physical transformation in the city “towards this changed mindset to the role of local government to appreciate the wisdom and necessity of empowering people to manage their own affairs.”
He said too that accompanying the new councils will be the Local Government Commission, a constitutional body that will be responsible for the day to day supervision of local democratic organs. He said the commission will allow “for politics to be taken out of the management of community affairs. Over time, this will greatly assist in ensuring that our best citizens come forward to be active in local administration when it is free from the rancour that too often is part of the political arena.”
Bulkan told the House that the rebuilding capacity within local government organs will not be a “simple or overnight task” and that the incoming councils will require significant support to execute their mandate.
This, he said, will be done though a policy of collaboration with local and international agencies and groups.
He informed that government stands committed to ensuring that the new councils have adequate financial resources to discharge their functions and responsibilities.
