President David Granger today said his Government’s commitment to
local democracy is based on its belief that the system of public
administration rests at the local level.
The President, who is also Chairman of A Partnership for National
Unity (APNU), speaking at the party’s launch of its Local Government
Elections (LGE) campaign, said true democracy prevails at the local
level.
Against this background, the President stated, the Coalition
Government is giving power to the people to determine how services and
resources that affect their lives will be utilised.
“After Local Government Elections were held in 2016 we saw how it
became a vehicle through which the process of democratic renewal
began. It moved the country from despair to democracy to which local
leaders can now discuss, debate and decide how their communities will
be governed,” the President said.
The “obnoxious” Interim Management Committees of the previous regime
are now “history”, the Head of State posited.
He then underscored the importance of a harmonious relationship
between all three tiers of governance – central government, regional
administration and local democratic organs.
President Granger pointed out that, “The Partnership is embedded in
all of the local government areas and with the people’s cooperation,
it is solving problems that affect their everyday lives, in their
communities and neighbourhoods.”
The Coalition, President Granger added, will adhere to an empowerment
policy that regularly renews local democracy by ensuring Local
Government Elections are held when they are constitutionally due.
The APNU will be contesting in 76 Local Authority Areas at the LGE on
November 12.
