Accountability at the level of village councils

Dear Editor,
Last March, an article appeared in another section of the media under the caption, ‘Orealla residents call for audit of village books’.
This call was an important step taken by the residents of Orealla village, when they claimed that village funds and other resources were being misused by the village council.
It would be an excellent move for our fourth Vice President and Minister of Indigenous People’s Affairs, Sydney Allicock, to ensure that his Ministry’s commitment towards “good governance” are up-kept to a standard under his watch, to ensure all 515 hinterland villages and communities in our country begin the process of putting their books in order for preparation in the upcoming March 2018 village council elections of our hinterland regions.
This will aid in facilitating a smooth handing over of all village assets, as the election results may determine.
Should any of the toshaos fail to adhere to such instructions, then full disciplinary measures must follow, or the Police should be called in for any misappropriation of funds.
Accountability must be looked at very seriously at all levels, including our village councils. Misuse of funds from their intended purposes is a known factor that contributes to our poverty level. The government of the day must get serious and put an end to this.
It should also be a wise idea for us to vote for a good toshao, who has multiple lenses and can lead us in this advanced age of technology in the 21st century.
Sincerely,
Mark Anthony
Rodrigues