$88M subvention disbursed to NDCs, municipalities in Regions Five, Six

Ten Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs) in Region Five have received $25 million in subvention, while another $63 million subvention was handed over to 18 NDCs and two municipalities in Region Six.

Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Hon. Nigel Dharamlall on Tuesday, presented the cheques during separate ceremonies in the Regional Democratic Council’s boardroom in both regions.

Minister Dharamlall charged the NDC chairpersons, vice chairpersons and overseers to put politics and discrimination aside and build a relationship with the respective communities, which would create mechanisms to resolve challenges.

“We would like our villages to be cleaned and I am going to tell you this without fear of contradiction; if overseers are not going to be pulling their weight, we are going to take actions against them. They are responsible for the management and the resources of the NDCs.

I have found across the country that overseers tend to leave some of their responsibility on the Council or the Chair of the Council. I have also found that some Chairs of Council want to usurp the functions of the overseers. They want to do the day-to-day management of the NDC and that also creates conflict.”

Minister Dharamlall said every staff member of the various village offices must observe the law, while maintaining Government’s policy, which is to provide satisfactory services.

“We would like to start seeing you more vibrant and approachable. We have had many complaints where members of the public come to your NDCs and you have overseers disrespecting people… When people come to the NDC office they must come to get professional service,” the Minister added.

He said the Government will not tolerate unprofessional behaviour at any NDC, and he plans to recommend to the Local Government Commission that workers be dismissed if their conduct is inappropriate.

“I got a call at 6 o’clock this morning where people are going to pay their taxes and the overseers are slamming doors on them and so forth. That can’t happen anymore! You’re an officer of the Government and the public.”

Minister Dharamlall noted that there are some issues which the NDCs must address urgently, including the removal of derelict vehicles along the road shoulders and overgrown bushes on private properties.

“I would like to encourage our CIIP [Community Infrastructure Improvement Project] workers through the Council that in cases where yards are not clean, we will surcharge the owner of these properties and when they come to pay their rates and taxes, they will have to pay for the cleaning.”

Minister Dharamlall said the Government is keen on ensuring that major infrastructural works are conducted in every NDC.