PM Kamla tells Commonwealth about T&T Local Government reforms

Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar said on Tuesday her government is working to "energise" local government through several reforms and projects.

Persad-Bissessar made the point in a speech at a Commonwealth Local Government conference in Cardiff, Wales.

"In my own country, I intend to achieve this by effecting the following:

• Giving Constitutional protection to Local Government
• Increasing the financial resources available to local government authorities, and even allowing some level of borrowing for special projects
• Providing state financed offices for local government representatives so as to impact upon more effective representation
• Amending the laws to limit the terms of Councillors to three terms
• Giving the constituents the power to recall local representatives
• Examining functions which are now managed by Central Government and delegating these to local government given the affinity of the function to local communities
• Creation of full time local government representatives
• Construction of town halls in every district and utilizing them for regular town meetings
• Increasing the involvement of NGOs in the work of the local authorities’ especially social service delivery
• Training of local representatives in management and leadership skills, as well as skills related to the organization of people and communities
• Formulating national budgets with greater inputs from local communities thus creating a needs driven and needs fulfilment model of governance. Local government must be assisted to fulfil a primary mandate which is people centred development
• The election of three special representatives in each local authority, via, male and female youth representatives and a representative for women and children

“I am of the view that in my country these are changes that will bring about a more empowered local government authority which will also be more responsive to current issues and create wider participation of young people in public governance,” she added.

Persad-Bissessar said it is her Government’s intention to examine functions managed by Central Government and possibly delegate some of those to local government bodies.

“I have always recognised partnering as important for community prosperity and an energised economy and as such have dubbed my Government a People’s Partnership Government.

“I am of the firm belief that the philosophy of inclusion and partnership is the basis for unprecedented success."

 

She said leaders must be committed to a philosophy of shared governance, without which there would be be internal conflicts and de-energized communities.

"Energizing local economies and creating partnerships for prosperous communities requires therefore a fundamental shift in the philosophy for governance particularly at the Central Level.

"In this regard, local government cannot be regarded as an appendage to the structures for governance.

"It has to be integral to governance and must be based on mutual respect and collaboration," she said.
 

She said her Government’s philosophy of local government is based on the premise that people are the masters of their destinies and have the right to organise the affairs of their communities. 

 

“One of the best ways to energise the creativity and commitment of a community is by inviting their participation in the way they are governed,” she added.

She also suggested that the Commonwealth Secretariat conduct a Commonwealth-wide study on best practices in local government to formulate an effective local governance model. 

 

In keeping with the theme of this year’s Commonwealth celebrations, “Women as Agents of Change”, Persad-Bissessar said female participation on a local level was important to empowering women. 

 

“There are many issues which affect women that need to be addressed at the local level, like housing, paediatric services at local health centres and daycare for young children. 

 

“Although national in scope, these are also very much local government issues,” she added.

 

"Can you imagine what life would be like if basic functions like garbage collection and disposal, maintenance of parks and recreation facilities, management of public health, regulation of traffic and the regulation of building codes amongst other functions are not efficiently administered," she asked.

 

"We cannot do without local government. The physical nearness of local government representatives to the problems of local communities and as well their ability to mobilize the local communities provide for faster responses and solutions, as well as building commitment," Persad-Bissessar noted.

Read the full speech