Williams accuses Communities Ministry of stymieing work of LGC

Unpaid employees

After waiting almost two years for the People’s National Congress-led A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (AFC/APNU) coalition Government to nominate its candidates to the Local Government Commission (LGC) to constitute the body designed to remove control over Local Government entities from the Communities Ministry, the minor partner in the coalition, the AFC, has accused the Communities Ministry of stymieing the work of the LGC by withholding funds that were allocated by the National Assembly to fund its operations.

AFC General Secretary Marlon Williams is now appealing to the authorities – that is, the Government of which it is a partner – to look into the issues confronting the Local Government Commission (LGC), with the intention of having them addressed at the soonest possible time.
Williams said his party would also like to see all impasses at the Commission come to an end. He was at the time addressing the media during a press conference held on Wednesday at the AFC’s Georgetown office.
The AFC executive explained that because the Commission is not registered as a constitutional agency, funding has been funnelled through the Communities Ministry.
“It also falls under the influence of the Permanent Secretary. I believe that infringes on the Commission’s independence, and for that reason I believe it should be placed on the register of constitutional agencies,” he added.
Williams, a Commissioner of the LGC himself, said this is why over 30 staff members of the Commission have not been paid for the month of January.

“The AFC recognised that since our last press conference there has been no change… We urge all the interested parties to work diligently in ensuring that the LGC is placed on the register of constitutional agencies and all impasses should come to an end as early as possible,” he stated.
Unfortunately, for these same reasons, the Commission has not been able to pay their utility bills too. Only recently, Chairman of the LGC, Mortimer Mingo complained that the Commission is being hampered in its functions due to the non-payment of salaries.
Mingo claimed that Permanent Secretary of the Communities Ministry, Emil McGarrell, is withholding the salaries on the ground that the LGC is not a constitutional body.
According to Mingo, McGarrell informed that the Commission, itself, cannot regulate salaries or hire employees without permission from the Ministers of Communities (Ronald Bulkan) and State (Joseph Harmon).
Mingo says he finds this decision baffling.
Three Commissioners recommended by the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) – Clinton Collymore, Norman Whittaker and Carol Sooba – laid the blame at the feet of the Communities Minister, contending that he is interfering in the work of the Commission and starving it of resources.
Minister Bulkan said recently that accountability on its spending is paramount to the Commission. When the Commission submitted documents for the Ministry to countersign on January 15, 2019, it prompted the Ministry to uncover that the level of payment of staff exceeded that of public service levels.
Bulkan argued that there was no authorisation of increases from the Finance Ministry, and that his Ministry is awaiting information from the LGC on its operational cost for 2019.
The Commission’s 2019 payroll is $113 million, which accounts for 91 per cent of the Commission’s annual budget.
The Ministry has since refused to sign off on the operational cost requested by the Commission, given that it has not yet received a cash flow and work programme.
If this was to be approved, the cost without these prerequisites would be in breach of the Fiscal Management and Accountability Act of 2003.
The Commission, through the Ministry, is mandated to oversee, monitor, investigate and examine the actions of the Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs) and the municipalities.