If Guyana is ever to realise its true potential, devolution of power must become a reality

Apr 08, 2025 Letters

Dear Editor,

The People’s Progressive Party (PPP) regime can allocate all the money it wants to regional and local democratic councils, but until the autonomy of these authorities is truly respected, as outlined in the Constitution of Guyana, we are going nowhere.

The 1980 Constitution, which established a regional system managed by Regional Democratic Councils (RDCs), made clear that Parliament could enact laws to grant these councils autonomy, allowing them to raise their own revenues and manage their affairs independently. But today, that promise remains largely unfulfilled. Forty-five years later, while towns and Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs) are empowered to make laws, establish their own police systems, and raise revenue for their operations, the RDCs are still subjugated to the whims of the national government.

This centralisation of power undermines the entire purpose of regional governance. Decisions about the regions’ management, funding, and agendas are dictated from the top down, leaving regions to languish under the political direction of the ruling party. And woe to those regions that fall out of favour with the government.

This deprivation of genuine autonomy has been disastrous for the people in the regions. It fosters division, deepens inequities, and prevents local communities from taking ownership of their development. When citizens are denied the ability to shape their own futures, they lose the intrinsic benefits of local governance—unity, purpose, and shared responsibility. Instead of forging harmonious, self-sustaining communities, this system breeds frustration and dependency.

The regional and local systems were meant to empower people by devolving power, giving them the tools to govern themselves and make decisions based on local needs and desires. These governments should be the second and third tiers of authority, interacting directly with citizens to understand their issues and co-create solutions.

This closer connection leads to greater accountability, improved governance, and more responsive decision-making. These are the pillars of a healthy democracy, yet we are being denied them.

For decades, the People’s National Congress (PNC), People’s Progressive Party (PPP), and A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC) have all been complicit in failing to operationalise the regional system. While each government bears responsibility, none has fully honoured the constitutional promise of devolved power.

The result? A system stymied by centralised control, where local governments lack the necessary autonomy to fully utilise their human and physical resources for development. What’s needed now is not just more funding from the national government, but legislative reform that genuinely empowers the regional and local governments. Each region and NDC should be granted the authority to establish its own security systems, raise revenue based on local resources and services, and implement measures that promote economic growth and social stability.

This would not only give them the independence they need but also spark healthy competition and cooperation between them, fostering interdependence—a key driver of national development. Moreover, these councils and their people must no longer feel as if their access to resources and investment is tied to political loyalty to the central government.

No region should be penalised or deprived simply because it did not support the party in office. The current system, where government resources and opportunities are often allocated based on political allegiance, is a betrayal of the very principles of democracy. It keeps the regions and NDCs divided, hinders progress, and stifles the growth of the nation as a whole. If Guyana is ever to realise its true potential, devolution of power must become a reality—not a political talking point. It’s time to honour the Constitution’s vision, empower our second and third tier of governments, and let them become active participants in the governance of their own futures. The failure to do so will only perpetuate a cycle of dependency and division, leaving us trapped in a system that serves only the political elites at the top. Until those change, we remain stuck.

Sincerely

Lincoln Lewis

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