{"id":163374,"date":"2016-05-27T09:06:39","date_gmt":"2016-05-27T13:06:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dominicanewsonline.com\/news\/?p=163374"},"modified":"2016-05-27T09:06:39","modified_gmt":"2016-05-27T13:06:39","slug":"commentary-the-political-contamination-and-commercialization-of-local-governments","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dominicanewsonline.com\/news\/homepage\/features\/commentary\/commentary-the-political-contamination-and-commercialization-of-local-governments\/","title":{"rendered":"COMMENTARY: The political contamination and commercialization of Local Governments"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"PM
PM Skerrit presenting a cheque to the Soufriere\/Scotts Head\/Gallion Village Council\u2019s clerk in April<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Local Government was introduced to Dominica as part of a system of political decentralization by the British to administer the island. These comprise of three (3) municipal (urban) councils, the Roseau City, the Portsmouth Town and the Canefield Urban councils which were established over one hundred years ago. The Carib (Kalinago) and thirty-seven (37) Village councils have been strong and effective functioning institutions in their more than fifty (50) years of existence.<\/p>\n

These Local Government bodies which function under Chapter 190 of the 1961 revised laws of Dominica are popularly elected bodies \u2018empowered by law\u2019 to regulate and administer affairs in their respective areas. It is a system of institutionalised political decentralization which fosters local autonomy, popular bi-partisan and inclusive participation in the life and development of demarcated areas. The entities were funded by government grants for requested projects and from local house and land taxes.<\/p>\n

The development of Village councils goes back to the 1930\u2019s and to the events in the village of Marigot. In 1933, ten (10) villagers including former Minister of Government, the late W.S. Stevens, a school principal at the time, organized in order for them to improve the conditions of the village. In 1963, there were ten (10) Village Councils, twenty (20) in 1968, thirty (30) in 1975 and thirty-seven (37) in 2002.<\/p>\n

The councils have been the most \u201cgrass-roots \u201cand by far the most bi-partisan and effective arm of government within Dominica\u2019s \u2018democratic\u2019 system. But that was before Skerrit became PM. He has since abolished the Ministry of Community Development which was responsible for Local Government and replaced it with the Ministry for Constituency Empowerment. Observers allege that this new portfolio is nothing more than a conduit through which funds and resources are passed to the councils to do Skerrit\u2019s political work.<\/p>\n

Sir Clarence Seignoret, then President of Dominica, in his June, 1991 Presidential Address at the House of Assembly he stated, \u2018The functions and objectives of Local Government are to develop local institutions and leadership potential at the community level capable of managing the development of their areas. These objectives are central to any true democracy and can be achieved through an effective Local Government system.”<\/p>\n

Today these entitles have fallen prey to big money and are viewed as political footballs embroiled in a bigger game they don\u2019t understand. Mr. Skerrit presents himself at the village council inaugurations and acts like Santa Claus carrying envelopes with large cheques with promises of more later.
\nThe monetary reward each council gets depends if they are \u2018naughty or nice\u2019- on their level of loyalty and the amount of \u2018pirating\u2019 it does for Skerrit.<\/p>\n

At the St. Joseph Village council\u2019s 21st inaugural meeting in March, Skerrit said that $15,000 will be distributed to the St. Joseph Farmers group to purchase fertilizer to aid in farming activities, while a second amount of $278,000 will be given to the council to put into effect proper washroom facilities within the community. He will also make available a further amount of $113,000 for the construction of a foot bridge. A few weeks earlier during a Labour party public meeting in that same village which was broadcast live on radio, he instructed his supporters to call the UWP leaders traitors wherever and whenever they are seen.<\/p>\n

Later in March, with rumours of the pending resignation of the popular UWP Roseau South MP due to legal issues, Skerrit raced to that constituency to attend the Giraudel\/Eggleston Village council meeting. He gave a cheque of $80,000 and promised that he will engage the energy company DOMLEC in discussions to procure eight (8) street lights for these communities.<\/p>\n

After announcing the June 7th date of the bi-election in the Soufriere constituency in April, \u2018uncle\u2019 Skerrit once again pulled out a cheque worth $597,000 out of his back pocket and presented it to the Soufriere\/ Scotts Head\/ Gallion Village Council for community projects.<\/p>\n

Skerrit also hosted a party on the same day in Soufriere where he met with almost 100 people. The cheque presentation and the \u2018sewo\u2019(honey) campaign event pictures quickly appeared on \u2018Facebook\u2019.<\/p>\n

Did any of these councils formally requested in writing with specific details the need for project funds as required by law? On what basis did the PM determine the rational and timing of the awards? Were proper procurement protocols followed and adhered to or these are just exercises in political expediency?<\/p>\n

How and what formula if any was used to determine the amount of the grant awards? These are vexing questions that lead to more questions than answers. Why is Skerrit planning to repeal and replace the Public Procurement and Contract Administration Act No.11 of 2012?<\/p>\n

Many allege that unprofessional and probably illegal behavior is just Skerrit (\u2018in-your face\u2019) breaking the laws of Dominica because he thinks can get away with it. He always concludes his \u2018Santa Claus\u2019 gift trips to the councils\u2019 events with a juvenile like \u2018tongue lashing\u2019 of Mr. Linton, the UWP Opposition leader.<\/p>\n

This alleged blatant abuse of power by this PM means that public accountability of government\u2019s funds opens the door to massive fraud and corruption. If no written formal requests were made with progress reporting time lines with expense reports, then no one can be held responsible.<\/p>\n

If that is the case, then Labour party stalwarts in the councils may now not be accountable to the government for their performance or lack there \u2013of in the use of these funds. What probably matters are if they are doing Skerrit\u2019s political work. This dangerous reality of the allege appearance of the \u2018purchasing\u2019 and dismantling of the traditional model of Local Government is one with far reaching consequences for a long time for Dominica.<\/p>\n

For over 50 years, it has been successfully demonstrated in Dominica and in the sub-Caribbean region that decentralization, enhancement of Local Government and participation of civil society in governance have been a major force of development, especially in rural areas. This writer can attest to this fact growing up in the rural eastern village of La Plaine.<\/p>\n

The Local Government protocol has commanded the attention of major international agencies, academicians and policy-makers throughout the world. Today the heightened interest in these inter-related concepts and practices is driven by a growing imperative for developing countries around the globe to find ways to improve the quality of governance, deliver services in a more cost effective, transparent and legally responsible manner.<\/p>\n

Opinions expressed in this commentary do not necessarily reflect those of Dominica News Online or its advertisers.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Local Government was introduced to Dominica as part of a system of political decentralization by the British to administer the island. These comprise of three (3) municipal (urban) councils, the Roseau City, the Portsmouth Town and the Canefield Urban councils…","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":163375,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_cbd_carousel_blocks":"[]","footnotes":""},"categories":[13],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-163374","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-commentary"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nCOMMENTARY: The political contamination and commercialization of Local Governments - Dominica News Online<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/dominicanewsonline.com\/news\/homepage\/features\/commentary\/commentary-the-political-contamination-and-commercialization-of-local-governments\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"COMMENTARY: The political contamination and commercialization of Local Governments - Dominica News Online\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Local Government was introduced to Dominica as part of a system of political decentralization by the British to administer the island. 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