Guyana’s first Local Government Commission has had a busy two months since its establishment in October 2017, as it sets its sights on ensuring the operationalization of its functions early this year. The Commission has held nine Statutory Meetings during the period of October to December 19th with primary emphasis of these meetings being the establishment of its Institutional Framework.
The Commission has earmarked a location for the establishment of its operations in Georgetown consistent with the requirements of the Act, and has adverted for the key personnel that would allow its work to progress. The initial meetings have also served to allow for the preparation of the Commission’s budget and the allocation of resources in keeping with Section 24.1 of the Local Government Act No.18 of 2013, which states that “The Commission shall determine its own annual budget for submission to the Minister of Finance for inclusion in the annual budget presented to the National Assembly.”
However, the Commissioners see as an integral function the establishment of regulations for the conduct of its affairs and Standard Operating Procedures for the conduct of the business of the Commission which will guide this entity’s operations even beyond the life of this current Commission. Since this is Guyana’s first such entity, the establishment of proper and effective guidelines of this nature is an imperative which will engage the Commission in the first quarter of 2018. An important aspect of the Commission’s Work Plan for 2018 will see the commencement of an extensive outreach,familiarisation programme of visits / meetings to the Ten (10) regions of Guyana. The purpose of the meetings will be to engage its constituents namely RDCs; Municipalities; NDCs; Amerindian Councils on Policy and Implementation framework on Taxation and other Revenue measures; Protection of the Environment; Service Delivery; Human Resource Development and other related areas mutually identified.