Latest update April 25th, 2024 12:59 AM
Jan 15, 2017 APNU Column, Features / Columnists
(An excerpt from Budget 2017 presentation to the National Assembly by the Minister of Communities, Hon. Ronald Bulkan MP)
REGIONAL NAMES
In keeping with the agenda of regional empowerment as well as regional pride, consultations led by
our Regional Democratic Councils (RDC) would begin early this year to allow people to be consulted on whether they wish to retain the name given to their regions or if they wish to have them renamed.
Many persons have questioned this initiative. However, in 1980 when the regional system was created and names were given to our regions, it was not meant to be permanent. Thirty-six years later, most of our regions are referred to by numbers. This tells us that the names either do not resonate or they are too cumbersome.
How many persons, for example, do we hear saying that they are from the East Berbice-Corentyne Region? Not many. This region is commonly referred to as Region 6. The same for Region 10, we hardly ever hear persons saying that they are from the Upper Demerara- Berbice Region.
When students from the Bina Hill Institute Youth Learning Centre treated us (Members of Parliament) to that very good song about climate change, in the lyrics of that song there was no reference to Region 9 or to Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo, but rather to the Rupununi. The reality is that one cannot form an emotional bond with a number. Similarly regional emblems and flags have the same purpose.
GRASS ROOT EMPOWERMENT:
The strategy of the Ministry of Communities for implementing the policies and priorities in Budget 2017 is to promote the delivery of social, economic and environmental services (SEEs) by strengthening our local democratic organs (LDO).
The vision of the Ministry of Communities is to improve the quality of lives of residents by promoting the development of cohesive, empowered and sustainable communities. Among the interrelated strategic initiatives set in place by the Ministry to achieve this objective are:
(i) empowering and equipping of local democratic organs;
(ii) promoting local economic development;
(iii) instilling integrated waste management;
(iv) promoting integrated water resources management;
(v) providing quality and affordable housing solutions;
(vi) supporting the strengthening of community disaster management; and
(vii) Strengthening policy development management.
For the Ministry of Communities, the $41 billion allocated in Budget 2017 would focus on strengthening the capacity of our LDOs to deliver on those social economic and environmental needs. This budget, the focus is aligned with the medium term objectives and on promoting local economic development.
The programme reaches across the other two tiers of Government and would include the following components:
(i) Infrastructure development
(ii) Institutional strengthening and capacity building, and
(iii) Public awareness and community participation.
The programmes, projects and activities of the Ministry, the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA), the Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI), the RDCs as well as the Community Development Council (CDCs) would be executed accordingly. This approach would ensure that investment in communities, human resource development and community ownership are achieved and not just the completion of the works in communities. It would help to ensure sustainability, promote participation and stimulate grass roots empowerment.
STRENGTHENING REGIONAL PROCUREMENT:
In his budget speech, the Finance Minister expressed the administration’s concerns regarding the impact of poor performance in Government’s investment and the economy. The Ministry of Communities shares those concerns expressed by the Minister of Finance and is prepared to do its part to reverse this situation wherever it is obtained. Within the procurement regulations, where they exist, and with the creation of regional procurement units and training of regional procurement officials, the Ministry would continue to pursue a path of transparency and accountability in procurement at the regional and local government levels.
Measures would be put in place to expand the number of contractors involved in executing Government contracts in the regions and to rebuild the village economy by deepening the opportunities for local content in the delivery of projects and activities promoting community participation and ownership.
Pre-qualification of contractors, setting a threshold on award of contracts and instituting an ongoing list of works, are among the efforts being made to reverse some of the inefficiencies in regional procurement, to improve acceleration of the Public Sector Investment Programme (PSIP), to open up opportunities for new entrants in the cohort of contractors and to promote community confidence and better service delivery.
STRENGTHENING LOCAL GOVERNMENT:
With regard to the strengthening of our local government system, the Ministry will be pursuing several paths to achieve this objective. Among these will include the partnering with the Ministry of Finance in the overhauling and modernising of the national valuation system. The objective is to secure the revenue base of our LDOs, currently their Achilles heel.
Pursuant to our prior commitment to have the community enhancement work component of the Community Infrastructure Improvement Project (CIIP) executed directly by our local government organs, with coordination through the RDC and support from the Ministry of Communities.
The Community Enhancement Workers Initiative (CEWI) will see 1,500 workers employed across the 71 councils, undertaking cleaning and clearing activities to promote the aesthetics and improve access to public facilities. After several years, the workers payment will now increase to $30, 000, that is working for four hours a day for 16 days a month.
Some of the programmes that will be completed are, training in local economic development planning as well as the completion of a training manual and a preparation guidebook for our councillors. Other activities will include developing and implementing of financial regulations for LDOs to improve the financial management of their councils.
SOLID WASTE:
Budgetary allocations have been made for the strengthening of solid waste management across communities in all of the regions of our country. In Budget 2017, a sum of $1.3 billion is allocated for solid waste management. It will cater for the operation of landfill sites at Haags Bosch and Lusignan, as well as other areas, and the creation of new sanitary landfills across our country.
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