Latest update April 19th, 2024 12:59 AM
Feb 07, 2012 News
The Opposition Leader, Brigadier David Granger, has called on President Donald Ramotar to halt the plan to re-deploy overseers of several Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs).
Granger has written to Ramotar pointing out that A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and members of several NDCs are deeply concerned about the “arbitrary transfer” of their duly appointed overseers to areas outside of the jurisdiction.
The transfers are being executed by the Minister of Local Government or his officials, the Office of the Opposition Leader said in a statement.
“The result of the Minister’s action is that confusion has been created among Councils, the communities they represent and the political partners of APNU, particularly the People’s National Congress Reform,” Granger stated.
He posited overseers affected by the Minister’s arbitrary decision are likely to suffer grave inconvenience and financial loss because of their assignments to areas far from where they reside and to areas with which they are not familiar.
According to Granger, APNU does not believe that the law permits the Minister of Local Government to exercise such authority in the absence of specific recommendations from the relevant NDC. Further, he said it would be unwise, even if the Minister had such authority, to take such a drastic step without consulting the NDCs that were elected by their constituency.
“The Minister’s public pronouncement suggests that he is under the illusion that the overseers employed through the NDC with his approval are the staff of the Ministry of Local Government,” Granger stated.
He said such a notion is very dangerous to the development of local democracy in Guyana.
“It emphasizes the urgent need for the completion of Local Government reform as contained in the recommendations of the Local Government Task Force,” Granger stated.
The Ministry has been transferring a number of regional officials in a major reshuffling.
In the West Demerara area, around 11 NDCs have reportedly written the government voicing their disapproval of the orders which came via letters from the Ministry recently.
Among other things, the NDCs argued that the government is unauthorized.
Where is the BETTER MANAGEMENT/RENEGOTIATION OF THE OIL CONTRACTS you promised Jagdeo?
Apr 19, 2024
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