Dear Editor,
This whole country rejoices with exceeding gladness now that we have a new national administration. More so the harassed and long suffering taxpayers of the NDC district of LBI/ Better Hope on the East Coast of Demerara are even more pleased. We are delighted that we may learn that that NDC would be governed, and its affairs administered by more competent and skilled professional administrators with the coming of a new national administration.
The erstwhile national administrators of this country turned a blind eye to their incompetent and corrupt friends, and friends of their ilk with no experience of local government to occupy offices for which they had no experience or academic qualifications.
Over the years we have learnt of varied financial irregularities at the NDC office at Better Hope. We have learnt of service only made available to selected members and we have learnt of non-productive performance in that office. We have also learnt of rates and taxes exemptions for certain members and others too.
Only one example would suffice here for the time being.
That council had its own tractor and traitor/carriage to collect rubbish and waste on a regular weekly basis, from the villages of Better Hope to LBI. The damaged trailer is now parked at the NDC compound at Better Hope but the tractor itself has been stripped of its parts and sold by a relation of an erstwhile chairman of that NDC. Taxpayers’ rubbish is not regularly collected. These days private garbage collectors are encouraged to collect taxpayers’ rubbish in this district and many of us suspect that someone in the NDC office earns a personal commission. But taxpayers still have to pay their rates and taxes to the NDC on time or are asked to pay interest on their backdated taxes.
In this NDC district taxpayers suffer from roaming cattle, ie, goats, sheep, cows, horses and wild donkeys that destroy their properties and fences.
We suffer from flooding because the NDC pays no attention to the poor drainage.
The NDC turns a blind eye also to the many rum shops around here; some are very close to primary and nursery schools. Some members of the NDC could be seen spending leisure time during the working day at some of those rum shops imbibing what is alcoholic.
Maybe it was prudent that the majority of the people here sent them packing at the recently concluded national polls. We now wish that the lot of them are replaced by competent and experienced councillors. And a skilled Chairman, too.
I trust that the incoming Minister of Local Government from our new administration would be cognizant of these irregularities, shortcomings and failures, and take condign action with alacrity, and as early as may be possible.
Yours faithfully,
(Name and address provided)
