LGC must function without political direction

Dear Editor,
The Local Government Commission (LGC) Act was passed in Parliament in 2013 after which the LGC was formed to address and solve local government issues in the various municipalities and NDCs in Guyana. The LGC is mandated under section 19 of the LGC Act 2013 to recruit (by the prescribed procedures in keeping with the law), discipline and dismiss staff at all Local Authority Areas (LAA) as one of its many tasks.
With these powers bestowed on the Local Government Commission, can this body fulfil their mandate effectively and without impartiality? Recently I noticed in the media numerous amounts of corruption were highlighted by Neil Kumar, asking the LGC to investigate. How quickly can these matters be addressed, and will there be any cover for certain matters or individuals.
The issue pertaining to the hiring of the Town Clerk at the Rose Hall municipality was dealt with in a timely manner by the Local Government Commission, despite over ruling a unanimous decision of the municipality. I do hope other issues raised by Kumar will be given the same preferential treatment to be resolve immediately.
Because of the composition and the way a specific Commissioner was chosen, I am of the view that this Commission will be using it power to hired persons who are working in the best interest of the coalition Government to derail and destabilise the LAAs managed by the People’s Progressive Party (PPP). I am confident that the PPP nominees are fighters who will highlight the deficiencies to ensure that the mandate of this important independent Commission is not politically hijacked by the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change coalition Government.

Sincerely,
Zamal Hussain