Guyana’s first Local Government Commission (LGC) will soon be travelling across the country to meet with representatives of the various Regional Democratic Councils (RDCs), Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDCs), Municipalities and Amerindian Councils as part of a sensitisation programme of the work the entity is mandated to execute.

According to a press statement from the Commission, another purpose of the travels is to engage with constituents on policy and implementation framework on taxation and other revenue measures; protection of the environment; service delivery; human resource development and other related areas mutually identified.

The Commission said it has had a busy two months since its establishment in October 2017 and has held nine statutory meetings during that period.

The LGC said it has also earmarked a location for the establishment of its operations in Georgetown consistent with the requirements of the Act and has advertised for the key personnel that would allow its work to progress.

The initial meetings have also served to allow for the preparation of the Commission’s budget and the allocation of resources in keeping with Section 24.1 of the Local Government Act No.18 of 2013, the Commission stated.

The relevant section of the Act states that “The Commission shall determine its own annual budget for submission to the Minister of Finance for inclusion in the annual budget presented to the National Assembly.”

“However, the Commissioners see as an integral function the establishment of regulations for the conduct of its affairs and Standard Operating Procedures for the conduct of the business of the Commission which will guide this entity’s operations even beyond the life of this current Commission,” it expressed.

Since this is Guyana’s first such entity, the LGC said the establishment of proper and effective guidelines of this nature is an imperative which will engage the Commission in the first quarter of 2018.

The Commissioners are Mortimer Mingo, Clement Corlette, Marlon Williams, Jo Ann Romascindo, Andrew Garnett, former ministers of local government Norman Whittaker, Clinton Collymore and former Town Clerk of Georgetown, Carol Sooba.