Dear Editor
There was much hype and fanfare about Guyana’s local government elections and now that these are over and the dust has settled, it is very clear that we are somewhat in the same dilemma as we were during the twenty years’ absence of local democracy.
Elected representatives who mainly are politically selected and elected are already showing their slips, and this does not bode well for the future development of any community. Take, for instance, the Golden Grove/Diamond NDC for which constituency I ran as an independent candidate.
A political selectee was elected as the representative to sit on the council; much was promised to the community and now residents are disappointed and saddened by the response of the NDC towards addressing the urgent issues of water supply, street lighting and garbage disposal.
The suffering of the people should have been first and foremost on the agenda of the council immediately after taking the oath of office; however, they continue the neglect and there is a clear indication of the lack of humility, decency, compassion and respect for the ordinary residents who had pinned their hopes on having a better community. My heart goes out to the people, who should not be blamed for making the wrong choices, but rather those to whom local power was entrusted and should of deliver the goods.
I urge the people to remain steadfast in the struggle for a better community and not to give up hope, but keep pressing on. I urge the NDC to come out of their slumber and work in the interest of all the residents of Golden Grove/Diamond local authority area. Power was entrusted to them to serve the community and if they fail to do that, then they have defeated the purpose for which they were elected.
It is extremely difficult for residents to walk a distance early in the morning and late at night to fetch water from one standpipe; it is shameful that residents have no alternative when it comes to the disposal of garbage but to dump it right in front of their yards; it is a shame that our roads are filled with potholes, our street lighting is absent, and many residents are robbed at night. It is even more shameful when our departed are laid in a jungle ground called a burial ground.
We now rest our hopes on our elected councillors awaking from their slumber and delivering the goods.
Yours faithfully,
Andre Fortune
Former LGE Independent Candidate
