Regions still consulting on regional flags, name change – Min. Bulkan

DPI, Guyana, Thursday, August 9, 2018

Regional Administrations are still in the consultative process for the proposed renaming of the regions and taking on board regional flags.

Minister of Communities, Ronald Bulkan told the Department of Public Information (DPI) that the important consultation has not yet been completed.

“The regions have not concluded the level of consultations needed to arrive at the decisions regarding the offer that has been made for the renaming or in place of the names that were given to them in 1980 which is largely the rivers, the boundaries formed by the rivers and an opportunity to have regional flags and symbols which are important symbols of regional pride and ownership.”

He alluded to the fact that seven of the ten regions are under the opposition People’s Progressive Party. He said the opposition seems not to be “enamoured” of the agenda of decentralisation and people empowerment.

“I think that is responsible for a lot of the foot-dragging that is taking place to ensure what is supposed to be a wide stakeholder consultation within the regions to be able to arrive at a determination,” he told DPI.

The Communities Minister said, however, that the administration is patient.

“We keep reminding our regions of the need to complete these consultations and the ensure that their preparatory works are completed because, in the end, we are not going to be deterred or dissuaded.”

Minister Bulkan said the policy has been identified and the engagements have started in good faith and will be brought to completion. He said the proposal was not something new that was sprung on the electorate but were actual promises that were made to Guyanese, prior to the 2015 National and Regional elections. The government, Minister Bulkan said, feels morally obligated to deliver on the pledges, since, come 2020, “we cannot be accused when we go back to the electorate, of failed and broken promises.”

“We are convinced that empowering people, as provided for in the constitution, is the right model of governance and we are committed to delivering on this programme,” the minister told DPI. 

By: Alexis Rodney

Image: Department of Public Information