Dear Editor,
The APNU+AFC government has decided to upgrade a number of Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs) to the status of municipal towns before May 26, 2016, the occasion of the 50th anniversary of Guyana’s Independence. Specifically, the Bartica, Mabaruma/ Kumaka/Hosororo and Lethem NDCs have been identified to benefit from the upgrades.
Interestingly, the government while acknowledging the extent of the development works that were required to upgrade communities from the status of NDCs to municipal towns and the high costs of these works, has acknowledged that those communities, moreso Bartica, already had most of the improvements and facilities that qualified it for the status of a fully fledged town. May I add that all decent and honest Guyanese who have followed the development of Bartica, Lethem and Mabaruma over the past 2 decades, would be aware that most of the improvements to which I refer would have taken place under the PPP/C Government. Similar improvement is evident in Parika, Vreed-en-Hoop and Mahdia and one wonders why these areas were not targeted for similar upgrades. May I remind readers that it was the PNC during the 1970s that boasted of opening up the interior of Guyana and making Bartica the gateway to that interior. Like the hydro-electricity at Kwapau; Feed, House and Clothe the Nation, and several other projects under the PNC, that never materialized. Bartica remained under the PNC, in a state of neglect with the hopes and expectations of its people for improved living standards frustrated and dashed. It was under the PPP/C that Bartica became a thriving community. Ask President Granger and his several cabinet ministers who have visited since the APNU+AFC government took office. When they visited, they would have seen hotels, guest houses and commercial banks. In fact, they saw a thriving commercial centre; nursery/primary/secondary schools; hospital; markets; water and electricity. There is still much to be done but as President Granger himself pointed out, Bartica now has most of the facilities and developments that qualify it for town status. Bartica is the Administrative Centre of Region 7. Lest readers feel misled, let me point the required developments that a village or neighbourhood or proposed town must have in order to qualify, at a minimum, for an upgrade to town status.
- a) There must be clearly designated boundaries (internal) separating each constituency… and external boundaries.
- b) Some major infrastructure must be in place and services provided, including but not limited to potable water, electricity, primary and secondary schools, hospitals, health centres, roads, bridges, drainage and irrigation, market services, day care centres, solid waste collection and disposal, etc.
- c) There must be an adequate revenue base including but not limited to rates and taxes, market fees, toll fees, licences and building application fees, abattoir fees, fines, etc. in order to finance the services and activities which Town Councils are expected to provide. Of course, due regard must be taken of the fact that many of our citizens are already financially overburdened and it is these very citizens who must pay the increases in licence fees, taxes, etc, as required by Budget 2016. The search for other revenue sources must be high on the agenda of the newly elected Municipal Council which must hit the ground running.
It must be noted that much of the lands of some of these LAAs, viz Lethem and Mabaruma/Kumaka/ Hosororo, have not been appraised for rates and tax purposes and the citizens who live within those boundaries do not pay rates and property taxes. For them, paying rates and taxes for services to be provided by the municipal council is a novelty which they must be encouraged to accept in return for improved services. Of equal importance and consideration are the Amerindian communities and titled villages contiguous to the external boundaries of a municipal town meeting the requirements for land titling and/or extensions of titled lands as set out in the Amerindian Act of 2006 which are applying for such lands. Even as the new municipalities seek additional lands, due regard must be paid to the issues which I have just adumbrated. The recent introduction of a system of fiscal transfers from central government clearly set out in the Fiscal Transfers Act 15 of 2013 which provides, inter alia, for the use of an objective formula for transfers of funds from central government to the local government authorities and which takes into account a number of variables including land mass, population size and the ability of the local authority to rake in revenue is also very important. Indeed, during my tenure as Local Government Minister, the formula was already in use to determine annual central government subventions to NDCs and town councils (2014).
In conclusion, let me emphasize that the development of towns goes beyond mere speeches, promises and handing over of bicycles. It allows for wider citizen participation and engagement as collectively they work with their elected local government leaders to consolidate the socio-economic gains using the solid foundation provided by the PPP/C government. I say to Barticians: Every vote counts. Come March 18, vote for the candidates who will put your interests first. Avoid again becoming victims of false promises, complacency and discrimination.
Yours faithfully,
Norman Whittaker
