“Opposition will not stop gov’t work”- Minister Bulkan

DPI/GINA, GUYANA, Monday, June 26, 2017

Minister of Communities, Ronald Bulkan says government will not be distracted by the Opposition, People Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) and its allies from fulfilling its ultimate goal of improving the local government system and the socio-economic welfare of Guyanese.

The Minister was delivering remarks at the launch of a Ten Thousand Tree Planting project (3TP) over the weekend. The initiative, another in a line of the government’s effort to bring improvement to the local communities and municipalities, have again failed to receive the support of the councillors from the Opposition controlled regions.

The Minister explained that he sent individual letters to all of the local democratic organs and the Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDC) across Guyana for participation in the 3TP initiative; but got no participation from those affiliated with the PPP/C.

He explained that the letter was to request that councillors craft and develop a plan for planting trees in their communities under the 3TP initiative.

Minister Bulkan noted that the 3TPinitiative being pursued by the government “starts with those constituency councillors and they are to be encouraged to take ownership of their areas.”

He urged all the local councilors to support the initiative. “To our friends in the political opposition, I will continue to extend the hand of support and friendship and it is my earnest belief that over time we will begin to see a changed attitude,” the Minister said.

Local government strengthening and empowering initiatives that the PPPC councilors have been a no-show for, include the recent inaugural meeting of the National Regional Development Consultative Committee in January and the first ever Mayors’ Conference in April.

Minister Bulkan recalled in the case of the latter, ‘identical letters’ were sent to the PPP/C councillors for their participation in the two-day meeting of regional councillors and heads of municipalities.

The only Opposition council that showed up for that meeting was Deputy Mayor of Rosehall. Minister Bulkan explained that since then the Mayor and Deputy Mayor of the Rosehall has been participating in government initiatives on local governance. “This tells us that people want to be free they don’t want to be chained and controlled any longer because they realise that they are failing their residents and neighbourhoods when they do that,” the Minister said.

Minister Bulkan, who is responsible for local government, reiterated that government’s work will continue even when the opposition councillors refuse to participate.

 

By: Ranetta La Fleur