Government wants local elections postponed for one year

Local Government Minister Hazel Manning moved a motion for debate in Parliament Monday seeking to postpone Local government elections for one year. The life of the local government bodies expire on July 14 and elections are constitutionally due this year.

In an immediate response Princes Town North MP Subhas Panday objected to the measure and accused the minister and the government of dragging their feet on local government reform that has been talked about since 1994.

Panday said all the talk about decentralization is a waste of time. He said an extension means that councillors would be serving six-year terms, which is more than the tenure for a member of Parliament.

Manning assured the House of Representatives that cabinet has been given approval to complete the reform process before the end of the year.

She said the demarcation of new boundaries cannot be done without the completion of the public sector reform process, which she said would be completed in six months time.