Local government officials here say they are proposing reforms including doing away with the election of individual village councils.
They want to have these elections at a district level, as a precursor to having all local government bodies elected at the same time, as obtains in some other Caribbean countries including Jamaica and Guyana.
The Local Government Department is holding a national consultation on the proposed changes, that would include giving public servants the opportunity to serve as nominated members on village councils and other municipal bodies in the country.
Local Government Commissioner John Fontaine says these changes are necessary, and Thursday’s consultation is expected to set the stage for the proposed reforms to be dealt with at parliamentary level.
“We are used to this individual elections of councils. We are hoping to move to the standard like other countries in the region like Jamaica, Guyana, Trinidad where they have a one day election for local authorities,” Fontaine told Dominica News Online.
He said the matter was being approached in a gradual manner.
“We would want to at least start with district elections,” he explained.
According to the commissioner, one of the main objectives of the proposed changes is to give “the local authorities – as we say in local parlance – teeth to ensure that service delivery is improved”.
Village and town council elections often carry a political dimension to them, and the question of having government workers – public servants involved in these local government bodies can be considered a controversial step.
However Fontaine believes there will be much less controversy if these workers don’t have to actually contest elections.
“We are looking at public servants who will serve as nominated members on the local authorities”.
According to the local government commissioner, one council, the Canefield Urban Council already features public servants in its lineup.
The consultation being held is looking at the harmonization of by-laws of the local authorities and amending the village council ordinance.
The proposed changes also include merging the Portsmouth Town Council Act and the Roseau City Council Act.
Fontaine said that particular piece of legislation will, when approved by parliament, be known as the Municipalities Act.
That would be the greatest single advancement in Local Government history that all Dominicans should support. Alas unless the new proposed legislation allows for dealing in a very serious way the issue of unperforming councillors, it will only be a piece of corrective convenience -which is still a good thing. Additonally many of the local municipal boundaries need to be redrawn to take advantage of new and improved settlemeents and the income to be derived would go a long way in making some councils financially independent, to the point that they may not need government subventions.
Mr. Fontaine welcome back. The department is falling apart and there is no unity among staff, every body is holding their end. I know that you got a work load because since you left for the pass 3-4 yrs nothing was done, the acting Local Gov’t Commissioner did nothing. We are very glad that you are back and that you will put the department back on it’s feet. May god bless you
Excellent move for one national local Government election. A welcome move to allow every one in society the opportunity to serve in village council. The regulation barring public servants the right to serve on council is unconstitutional.
It is rather unfortunate that Government in its bid to cut cost and to add to its operating concept finds references to quote so as to justify their actions, in the Caribbean we have a model system so that other caribbean countries can look up too, why do we have to drop our standard in favour of something less appropriate.
In the first place when central government want statical or factual information on any community in D A they collect that info from the local council, that is why they have so much interest in the local councils,
We are in agreement that all councils should have a 5 year term,
All the members of the council should be elected with the chairman receiving the most votes and should one decline, that position then goes to next person with the majority votes.
No government or political interfearance in councils election.
Council election remain as is on community basis rather than district basis since there is already in place D A L C A.
Council needs to be empowered with a budget to compensate the councilors (not for a once a month meeting but) a minimum wage that allows them to spend some time in the community they undertake to improve.
The budget should include funds to undertake majour road mentainance (all roads majour and secondary) in clearing draining and parching of port holes for at least twice a year, undertake maintainance of parks, community centers, community cleaning and beautification, putting up the appropriate signs and bill boards
The councils should be at liberty to do project proposals for new community projects that will enhance the community; develop by laws that will assist in the implementation of their functions.
We have to look at the functions of the local government bodies comparable to the functions members in central government and look at the compensation packages then we can clearly see where we need to enact chang.
As to the kalinago Council we need to be upgraded; the act has to be included in the constitution of Dominica rather than having it under the laws of the country, the name change from Carib Reserve act to Kalinago Territory act.
we no longer want to be supervised under the Ministry of Community Development, but to be autonomous, we no longer want a comsidi ministry of Carib Affairs, but that function should be administered by the Kalinago Territory.
Our budget allocation of 10% of national budget with full management by the kalinago council,
have a governing body and an opposition body with the chief as executive chairman.
The council to set up its administrative body and the functions of each office /officers.
central government to oversee sicurity,diffence and auditing of records.
Presently the community is not fully aware that this process is ungoing and need to allow time to educate and for full participation of all members of the community. We need town hall meetings with adequate legal support.
i think the parl reps for each constituency should be in charge of the village councils then. give them work to do
Dont be fooled that is taking the choice away from the people.Who is going to nominate the officers, so we re seeing the first stage of taking away the democratic rights of the people to elect their representatives. That is very political. No mtter what he is saying.
Dominica is not Jaaicor Trinidad or Guyana so why does Dominica have to follow these islands, Dominica developed a deocratic system which met the Dominicn model of Dominica by Domincnsfor Dominicans thelittlefarmr cn lead his village and present the villagers needs not a party official appointed by WHOM.
I commend the new direction. However, I raise the following concerns:
1. Civil Servants should be elected.
2. Government should not nominate members to the council. The elected members should do the nominating.
3. A nominated person should not the position of Chairman or Deputy Chairman.
4. The elections should not be conducted on party politics. The election should be individualised. My reason, we look at village councils and it seems that they do not function effectively as residents stay away from participation in council activities because of party politics. If Labour supporters form the council, Workers stay away, if Workers supporters from the council, Labour supporters stay away.
why did’nt he say “we will appoint whoever we want to represent you” and you will have no say in the matter.
it’s amazing how these guys keep insulting our intelegence now they want to abolish our village councils and appoint their surpporters.we are not trinidad and we are not jamaica
Mr Commissioner, we used to be the leader in local government. Some islands have copied our template and are advising us or how to do things based on what we had. The district concept is the best. But having district elections is going to be a fiasco. What should be done for starters, is: Individual village elections are held and they will continue to be responsible for their villages and the counciillors elect from them representatives to make the district council. They select their leader, mayor, chairman whatever the name and the other ministers to look after the interest of the district which should receive a special subvention from government. The parliamentary will now be able to focus on legislative and more central government matters and allow the district council to do the things which the Parliamentary Representative use to play petty party politics.
so they have to give simeon a job as a public servant now so he can be placed in a council that the people did not vote for him
Don’t let them fool u. Their agenda and yours are not the same. Party politics will be in play. The unplanned merger between Possy and China town is a classic example of greed. Nothing is wrong with restructuring but let it evolve in an environment of equity, transparency, accountability and in accordance with the law. No singing for any blue, green or red supper. Stop that cycle sooner rather than later.
Great move! While at it consider revising the constituency act and replace it with the “Parish Act”. In other words we have too many parlreps and the only way to reduce it is by reducing the number of constituencies. We need to run elections by Parishes. If that is done we will only have ten constituencies and ten parlreps.
i couldnt agree more. bigger countries have one person in charge of a state or parish and we have 3 or more in one parish? bull
This con,sultatiion has been going on forever. Don’t people remember these things being said years before. They hold be in the implementation stage.
Public servants who will serve as nominated members? There would be less controversy if these public servants contest local Govt. elections? The Commissioner seemed convinced?
Who would nominate those public servants? The political party in Power? the communities? If it’s the former, nomination would not be according to Party affliation? Whose fools are we?
Why is the Canefield Urban Council in so much turmoil? The person who received the most votes in the commuinity was sidelined and someone else ended up as Chairman, far from the wishes of the people. The Minister of Community Development has all the power to nominate, appoint and/or disappoint.
Village councils are no longer autonomous. Remember, a couple years ago, councillors all over Dominica, decided on projects for their respective villages, wrote their proposals, submitted them to Local Govt. Dept. for funding for their community projects for National Day of Community Service.
Without consulting with the Councils, PM Skerritt decided that no cement, no tarish would be made available to the communities for road repairs, or building of drains etc. that year. Councillors and villagers were commanded to go plant flowers instead. They were taken aback. They were shocked at hearing the news on radio. Total disrespect for the VCs and communities which had already submitted their plans for the beautification of their villages.
With those reforms would more power be given to the VCs and community to develop their communities through their own efforts and not be dictated to in ways we are seeing?
Local Govt. Reforms, education reforms, reforms, reforms, but no Electoral Reforms. No movement towards reforming our electoral process, with all its flaws. We still have a bloated Voters’ list with dead people’s names and so, which needs cleaning up. We need Voter ID cards to better identify all voters, given the influx of Chinese, Haitians and Santo Domingo immigrants here.
We need reforms to our election process to ensure FREE and FAIR elections, and to prevent bribery, fraud and wanton irregularities. Why no reform to our electoral process, although most of us agree that changes are necessary? Why the refusal and stubborn attitude to implement electoral reform as recommended by the ‘Independent Electoral Commission’ about 7 Years ago? who is refusing or reluctant to provide the funds requested by the Commission? We smell a Big rat.
Read the news, look on TV, watch the problems many countries face, because of bad elections – cheating during elections or irregularities, bribery, disregard for the electoral Laws. Dominica also needs, sooner rather than later, reforms to our election process.
If the plate is dirty, why would anyone, clean in spirit, not want to wash it to ensure the plate is clean for the next meal? Why? reluctance to wash the dirty plate, should tell you something about that human being.
all these mergings leave me with no choice than to predict great tyranny for this country.
take it to the house of parliament?
ya rite. its been approved a long time ago
slowly but surely things are being centralized in this country. at the end of it all, of all these changes there will eventually be one head of everything.
i think having indivual village councils is a good idea. a very good idea.
do we really want to copy the politics and style of jamaica, trinidad and guyana? are u guys serious? in all the countries u could use for examples these are the three u chose.
come on man!!!!!!!!!!!!
ADMIN: There will still be individual councils. All elections of councils will be held on the same day.
This is a good move, especially if it improves efficiency and reduces costs.
The time has come to apply the same thinking to:
– the number of constituencies, of which we currently have 21 (with 21 M.P.’s and attendant costs).
– police stations: we have 18 of them (not counting Roseau)for a population of barely 70,000.
I believe consolidation into larger units (like Colihaut and Colibistrie for example) would bring better use of man-power and resources.
– health centres: it is astonishing to find that we list 52, all with their own accommodation, maintenance costs, telephone, utility bills etc. I am not inferring that the people, who provide these services are not doing a good job but I think we can help them to perform even better by streamlining and improving the facilities that were put in place at a time when we did not have the vastly superior means of communication and transport we enjoy today.
By all means,encourage the “people on the ground” in your consultations and you’ll be amazed the contributions they can make.
My friend, why do you not request of the government that they cut back on expenses related to the use of vehicles, the numbers of vehicles, who pays for their fuel costs, how many are covered by these costs, travel, costs related to travel, utility bills such as telephone bills, who pays for them, overseas travel, hotel costs, which hotels do they use, do they hand back unused money after their return etc..etc!!!! This proposed change is simply going to remove more checks and balances, more accountability and is going to open up the opportunity for persons to be put onto these councils by government appointment as was done with the electoral commission and the integrity commission, in order to monitor and influence their day to day operations!!!!!!!! My people, wake up………use you independent minds to think these things through before it becomes too late my friends!!!!!!!!1 The PM says that he wants parl reps to do what is necessary to improve the image of the party in the mind of the electorate in order to give him the chance to do what he has to as leader to ensure 25 more years in power!!!!! Can you guys not understand what is happening???? Come on, open your eyes!!!!!!!!1 You are being told in no uncertain terms that he intends to DO WHATEVER HE HAS TO TO ENSURE THAT HE REMAINS IN CONTROL FOR THE NEXT TWENTY FIVE YEARS PLUS!!!!!!!!! I suppose that most people do not care what happens behind the scenes in relation to the powers passed on to powerhouses such as China, so long as what is perceived to be ‘development’continues!!!!!!!! Wow!!!!!!1 We are going down a dangerous road!!!!!!!!1 Check out the human rights abuses which continue on thepart of the Chinese government!!!!!11 Wake up people!!!!!!
I totally agree with you that we need to cut unnecessary expenses and that every cent of expenditure should be accounted for, without exception.
– For a start I would do away with the antiquated “per diem” arrangements, which are subject to abuse and lead to overseas trips that are not always strictly warranted. Reimbursement of expenses should be made after completion of authorized travel, within a stipulated period (a week should suffice) and against authenticated receipts/imvoices only.
– local elections should be subject to popular vote without central govt. having the power to overrule the outcome (such power renders these elections meaningless).
Keep it simple, keept it transparent.
Brother Fontaine!
Can we really talk of “local government” in Dominica? I really doubt this. What we refer to as “local government” is in reality,what should be called “non-local government”. How much, if any, authority do these local govts. have? Our local associations are no more than ‘rubber stamps” of Central govt. Local govt. has has no role at all in determining how monies are distributed in the community, neither can they seek a loan without the authorisation of the Minister. Truly local govt is what obtaine in the French countries and in the UK. They are responsible for EVERYTHING in their communities EXCEPT defence and foreign affairs. So if we are talking about local government reform, this is the example we should follow;local govt should MEAN just that.
And why can’t public servants be ELECTED members? we continue to short change our citizens by not allowing competent individuals contribute to their communities development. What is the danger/difficulty with they being elected members? this is one reason why our communities lag behind.
On the other hand I must commend the idea of having district elections as this will reduce the cost and ensure members come and go at the same time. I wish you all the best of luck in these undertakings.
I have been asking why is it that we continue to have all those ancient(old)laws on our books.It;s past time for us as a nation to look at our laws and do away with all those that are like millstones around our necks.I’m refering here to the laws that prevent/bar public servants(Government employees) from participating in district/ village council election.We are blessed with so many learned men and women who can make and are willing to make significant contributions to the development of their communities.However they are prevented by laws that have no place on the books of a developing nation.Why should i resign my job as a nurse just to run in a village council election? Why am i being prevented from being active in my village/district council? I support this idea,however it must go all the way.No limitations.Too many archaic laws on our books.We want advancement,but such laws are killing us and hindering national development.
Great move.I support this move 100%.In my humble opinion its long over due.The Mahaut,Tarreau,Jimmit village council could easily become The Mahaut,Jimmit,Tarreau,Campbell and warner district council.Or it could Ibecome the Municipality of the above mentioned council.Case to consider. Mahaut and Warner are slowly merging into a single community.Shall we continue to exclude warner from all council activities? I say no.We are merging our credit unions why can’t we merge our local village councils? Bing Warner and campbell under the MJT village council/muncipality/district council.
I agree with the proposed changes. It is a step in the right direction. Need for more talented leaders in the communities. Stronger communities makes for stronger country. Long overdue
i support this move 100% because there are public servant who can and will be of a great asset to the development of their communities with the idea they have and having election on a district level is something i am lookin forward too
DNO – I am out of breath – Your first paragraph it killed me – ONE GIANT SENTENCE. The one before the last sounds incomplete “including merging” why not “includes”.
I know you are going to throw me under the bus by posting my comment but is fine
sorry for taking this long to repond to this post, I was actually recooperating from the knock out that this long sentence gave me. It cut my LaLin so for a awhile there i was out of breath. Small simple sentences please.
I surprise day post ur comment.