Central Govt must deliver a higher level of governance

Dear Editor,
The lawlessness of the APNU/AFC coalition Government continues uncontrolled, realising an array of never-ending issues which attenuate citizens’ welfare. It doesn’t seem to matter that their insensitive and tactless actions are resulting in hunger, sickness, increased sufferings, uncalled-for debts, and absolute condemnation of any measure of prosperity for the majority of our citizens.
As if it is not enough that the continuously increasing tax burdens are being imposed with every budget, the tragedy of placing the families of thousands of sugar workers on the breadline has been brutally enforced as a vicious sanction by an unconcerned government. The impact within communities and across our nation will reverberate with immense citizen distress for a long, long time to come.
Related to the foregoing, there are several areas regarding the regulation of local governance matters, which have been apparently meted out for Government’s disdainful squeeze. It took almost 22 months after the March 2016 Local Government Elections for the Government to appoint Commissioners to the constitutionally-approved Local Government Commission (LGC). Since the October 2017 appointments, the Commissioners have not been paid. Further, it remains an indictment on this Government that the deliberate lack of urgency is being exercised in providing an office with the necessary support staff and equipment so the Commission could commence its work.
It is also common knowledge that many Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs) are experiencing serious issues regarding the receipt of their 2017 subventions. Some NDCs are complaining bitterly that the REOs are deciding what projects must be done in the villages, and they are also awarding contracts for the NDCs to their friends and relatives. Many NDCs are totally dissatisfied with the awarding of contracts by the RDC Tender Boards.
The Local Government Commissioners must put their act together and make sure that political thugs do not prevent development in the communities.
On another front, there have been announcements that the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) is about to commence the 10th round of continuous registration. It was recently revealed that commencing February 5, 2018, the Commission would embark on a Claims and Objections Exercise with a list already certified through a Claims and Objections period in the Ninth Cycle of Continuous Registration.
There seems to be no wisdom in the latter approach since if the most recently updated list is not used, one would be defeating the justification for any expenditure utilised in covering the new period. Further, by law, GECOM should have commenced a Continuous Registration exercise, which is to be followed by a Claims and Objections period.
Additionally, information received suggested that GECOM would not be engaging additional staffing for the exercises. However, one still has to be alert to the management expenses of the present staff. Precedence establishes the need for strong monitoring to avoid the previous favourite suppliers being offered jobs at the expense of the more qualified, to facilitate kickbacks.

Sincerely,
Neil Kumar