Bulkan announces establishment of Local Govt watchdog

‒ LGC yet to be operationalized

As the Budget debates continue in the National Assembly, Communities Minister Ronald Bulkan on Wednesday announced the establishment of the National Regional Development Consultative Committee (NRDCC) which he said will be designed to improve and strengthen inter-regional consultations in Guyana.

This establishment comes in light of the creation of regional procurement units, the Communities Minister disclosed, adding that plans are moving apace to establish the NRDCC, which will seek to ensure transparency at the regional and local government levels with respect to the awarding of State contracts.

Bulkan further noted that these measures will also seek to encourage more participation from community members.

“Measures will 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,” he noted.

The Communities Minister also told the National Assembly that an entire section of the Budget was allocated to strengthen regional organs. Bulkan further outlined that within the NRDCC, inter-regional consultations will be done during the year.

The Minister stressed that at this level of consultations, a number of targets will be pursued. To this end, Bulkan noted that it is expected that there will be improved implementation of policies, programmes and knowledge sharing at regional levels, while the promotion of “the green agenda” will be related to sustainable economic development.

Additionally under the NRDCC, there will also be “regional partnerships and collaboration” to resolve constrains and promote development within the priority areas. Bulkan stressed further that a platform will exist “to consolidate ideas and articulate and contribute to coherent policy discussions for development and for the coordination of local democratic organs.”

Speaking on the delayed establishment of the Local Government Commission (LGC), the Communities Minister told the House that while the LGC will have oversight over local democratic organs, it will not have “control” over the said organs.

The Local Government Commission, when established, will have oversight over the various local authority areas in the country. It would also be responsible for appointing officials in the Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs) and local authority areas, as well as the approval of budgets for the NDCs.