Dear Editor,
Stabroek News must be congratulated for its excellent editorial of November 26, 2012 titled ‘Local government according to the PPP/C.‘ This editorial objectively exposes the subterfuge that characterises this administration’s approach to governance in general and to local government in particular. It has long been clear to us in APNU that this minority government had embarked on a course to make meaningful and effective local government a casualty of their loss of Parliament. In clear pursuit of this strategy the PPP/C, as they are wont to do, have proceeded determinedly on their chosen path and in clear violation of democratic principles and practices.
Editor, before continuing with my comments and observations I wonder if you would permit me to express through your medium, deepest condolences to the family and loved ones of Indranie Sugrim, who on Sunday last was brutally murdered allegedly by a man she had shared an on-and-off relationship with. As the article in your newspaper reminded us, the murder of Indranie, “is just another added to a long list of women who have been murdered or maimed by their partners in recent months.“ This list includes Joy Mayers, Zaleena Shaddick (aged 16 years) and Allison Bowen (aged 42), all victims of brutality within just the past six weeks. Is it that as a society we are inured to these acts of unspeakable bestiality? Is anyone responsible; does anyone care?
Editor, when I spoke in the National Assembly on July 30, 2012 on the Motion of No Confidence against Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee and in reference to the murder of Ron Somerset, Shemroy Bouyea and Ivan Lewis, I asked “are we going to merely howl in indignation, righteous or otherwise? Or are we going to take meaningful and concrete actions to stem the tide of nihilism that threatens to engulf us?” The nation has since seen President Ramotar’s response directly and via various mouthpieces and it is that the Home Affairs Minister deserves no censure, “Rohee is the best Minister,“ etc. The Minister by his own admission declares that he is uninterested in his portfolio and responsibilities as he could be re-assigned any time by the President, that all he knows and cares about, is “politics!” What a sorry statement and disgrace.
But back to your editorial. After eloquently making the case (which incidentally APNU has also sought to do in four press conferences from April 2012 to present) of the unprincipled and undemocratic actions of the government with regard to the functioning of local democratic organs you go on to say that “there appears to be no prospect of local government elections on the horizon.“ Permit me to inform your readers of the current state of affairs regarding the legislation needed to bring about fundamental changes and reform to the system of local government and to the elections which ought to be held soonest thereafter.
Five (local government reform) Bills were tabled in the previous Parliament. Of these just one became law – the Local Authorities (Elections) (Amendment) Act 2009, Act 26 of 2009. This Bill allows for individuals and voluntary groups, in addition to political parties, to contest for representation on local democratic organs and for such elections to be held under a hybrid system of proportional representation (50% of councillors) and constituency (first-past-the-post) for the other 50% of the council. It is designed to allow voters to identify with and to elect individuals or groups that they have confidence in, to manage the affairs and responsibilities of local authorities.
The other four Bills were not legislated and hence lapsed with the end of the 9th Parliament. They have since been reintroduced to the present Parliament as the following:-
– Bill number 12 of 2012, Local Government (Amendment) Bill 2012 (first read on July 30)
– Bill number 13 of 2012, Local Government Commission Bill (first read on July 30)
– Bill number 19 of 2012, Municipal and District Councils (Amendment) Bill 2012 (first read on August 9)
– Bill number 20 of 2012, Fiscal Transfers Bill (first read on August 9).
They have all been sent to Special Select Committee for further deliberations. It would be noted that Bills 19 and 20 were tabled just prior to the Parliamentary recess.
The final paragraph of your editorial accurately and succinctly identifies and expresses that the Bills having to do with the creation of the Local Government Commission (an independent body that will replace central government for oversight and regulation of local authorities) and for fiscal transfers (to allow for local authorities to be as autonomous as possible) are the most important of the four.
Editor, now to the beef. Over the last weekend members of the Special Select Committee received notices from Parliament of the first meeting of the committee to be held on Wednesday, November 28, 2012. This committee comprises five members from the combined opposition and four from the government. We in APNU are committed to proceeding with dispatch to ensuring that the legislation unambiguously ensures and allows for devolution and autonomy in keeping with the recommendations of the Joint Task Force’s report and for its early re-submission to the full House. I would not be as pessimistic as stated in your editorial and I see no reason why these elections cannot be held (under the reformed system) before the end of the first half of 2013.
Yours faithfully,
Ronald Bulkan
Spokesperson on Local Government
and Regional Development APNU
