Municipalities have to become commercial hubs and elected officials have to go out and ensure that development is taking place, President David Granger yesterday urged municipal leaders.
He threw out the challenge at the Inaugural Municipal Conference 2017, which was held at the Marriott Hotel, under the theme “Positioning Municipalities as critical partners in national development.”
The Head of State told the two-day gathering of Mayors, Deputy Mayors, councillors and administrative staff of the nine municipalities that they are responsible for serving their constituents. “Your responsibilities go to the people of the whole town, of the whole city and at the regional level, your responsibilities are to the people of that region,” he said, before adding, “When you are elected almost in a moment your responsibilities goes to the constituents and the people… not the party.”
He told elected councillors that in 2019, they would have to “face the people, if they don’t like what you do, you better find another job because they are going to vote according to their conscience.”
Granger told the gathering that the roles of the municipalities have changed from what was known as tax collection system at compounds in the past to one that is friendlier and service providing.
“We have to get away from the compound mindset. We have a different role to play by going out and ensure development is taking place. Our function now is to encourage development and development comes from you, the people,” he noted.
He said it is time municipalities move forward and become commercial hubs. He said he was of the belief that the establishment of new towns has the ability to strengthen the country’s economy. “The capital towns we are creating in Guyana bring about the concentration of the population so people won’t have to drift from the hinterland areas. Concentration of wealth, transportation, occupation, that is where the business is conducted and we can see how important a town is to national development,” Granger explained.
He called on the Ministry of Communities to organise agricultural and commercial exhibitions to showcase the uniqueness of the regions and what they have to offer. He also told the gathering to look at tourism opportunities.
Turning his attention to the “green state,” he encouraged municipalities to transition into eco-friendly environments by practicising proper solid waste management and making use of renewable energy sources to power public buildings.
He asserted that in the near future all public buildings in municipalities would become hubs for information as the government is working to install Wi-Fi in all of them.
In his presentation, Ronald Bulkan, Minister of Communities, called on the attendees to make use of the two days “to meet, share experiences and best practices for the development of their individual towns and Guyana, as a whole.”
He stressed the importance of the revived Guyana Association of Municipalities (GAM), stating that it will play a critical role in the development of local government organs by offering assistance, and capacity building.
The resuscitation of GAM, he noted, is timely since towns would be able to access funding for programmes and training for councillors and administrative staff.
Bulkan added that given the commitment by the government to the role of local government in national development, his ministry acknowledges the needs for local democratic organs to be better resourced, organised and structured.
He said his ministry will continue to offer technical and intuitional support to local government and will also work to ensure “good governance, accountability and transparency and up standards to promote sustainable community development.”
Bulkan encouraged the municipalities to engage in modern management practices to facilitate and stimulate local economic development, job creation and income generation.
The minister lamented that some municipalities stayed away because of political interference.
“They are not being asked to serve and represent the interest of their residents, but rather located elsewhere, selfish individuals engaged in an imaginary struggle,” Bulkan said, while citing the absence of Mayors and their Deputies from Corriverton and Anna Regina, which are led by PPP/C councillors.
Speaking with Stabroek News, an APNU+AFC councillor from Anna Regina registered surprised at the absence of his colleagues. He explained that the council had excitedly planned for their participation in the conference.
“A week and half ago we selected the delegates, which included me as APNU+AFC councillor and four PPP/C councillors, yet yesterday the councillors said they weren’t coming. They gave no reason for the decision,” he said.
Bulkan urged them to “look ahead not behind, look to the future not to the past” and think about what is in their best interest and not of others “whose time has come and gone.”
