Rebuttals To Pnm’s 10 Pillars Of Local Government Reform
SECURITY AND FUNDING
PNM Pillar: Retain Taxes
Our Response:
Property Tax:
- It will only be residential taxes collected by the Municipal Corporation not all property taxes at 3% rate on residential properties.
- Consolidated Fund will collect:
Commercial property- 5%
Agricultural- 1%
Industrial- plant and machinery housed in a building- 6%
Industrial- plant and machinery not housed in a building- 3%
- Increase Electricity Rates and soon Water rates
- No diversification to generate additional revenue, only property taxes.
EXECUTIVE AUTHORITY
PNM Pillar: Similar To The THA Model
This is not true
- THA is embodied in the Constitution
Unlike the THA and the Parliament, there is no constitutional protection for Local Government. It is based on an ordinary Act of Parliament.
Further, the boundaries can change at anytime and the number of municipalities can increase if Government determines to so do with a simple majority Bill.
Postpone Elections
- Staff for the Secretaries and Office Space.
- Newsday Article – https://newsday.co.tt/2018/12/13/imbert-to-control-local-govt/
THE Ministry of Rural Development and Local Government, managed by Minister Kazim Hosein is being downsized and come next year, there will no longer be a Local Government component to Hosein’s ministry. Instead, management of the country’s 14 Regional Corporations will be placed under the portfolio of Finance Minister Colm Imbert.
THE Ministry of Rural Development and Local Government, managed by Minister Kazim Hosein is being downsized and come next year, there will no longer be a Local Government component to Hosein’s ministry. Instead, management of the country’s 14 Regional Corporations will be placed under the portfolio of Finance Minister Colm Imbert.
These amendments being proposed basically places total control of the Corporations under the hand of the Minister.
One of the most concerning amendment is the Minister being able to set the remuneration of elected officials.
This does not guarantee any independence from political pressure. These salaries of local government officials are currently under the ambit of the insulated and independent Salaries Review Commission.
Section 17. (1) The Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors shall be eligible for such remuneration as may be determined by the Minister with responsibility for finance in consultation with the Chief Personnel Officer.
Section 33H(2): A Corporation shall with the approval of the Minister with responsibility for finance in consultation with the Minister review its organisational structure.
Section 37- obtain, subject to the approval of the Minister with responsibility for finance, from international donors any grant and of technical assistance.
Section 108 – approval for budgets and supplemental budgets Ministry of Finance.
Section 112(1)(j): Minister to approve sums not listed in the Act to be spent by the Council.
Section 112(2)- Where the Corporation Fund is more than sufficient to meet the expenses specified in subsection (1), the surplus may, with the consent of the Minister, be applied under the direction of the Council towards, inter alia, the erection of buildings or towards the acquisition of lands or buildings.
Section 113– authorisation of audits by the Minister of Finance.
Section 116- (1A) The officers authorized to sign cheques under subsection (1) shall be approved by the Minister with responsibility for finance.;
NEW RESPONSIBILITIES
Our Response:
- The local Government is unable to repair simple potholes, landslips, and clear box drains.
- But increasing responsibility for school repairs, social services, and sporting programmes.
- Dr. Sammy advises that 30% of the Annual allocation goes into Developmental Programmes- such as roads, drains, and bridges.
- 70% of the Annual allocation goes into wages and recurrent expenditure- phone, rent, fuel, and paper.
LOCAL CONTRACTORS
Our Response:
- Under the Procurement Act- contractors have to register with the OPR.
- Therefore, the process must be fair and unless there is an amendment to the existing law to prefer local contractors within the Municipality this cannot be done.
MORE EFFECTIVE MUNICIPAL POLICE
Our Response:
- Effectiveness is through proper human resource.
- They have promised 100 police to the CBC in 2019 and in 2023 they only got 20 officers in 5 years.
- PDRC applied annually for a building to no avail.
- No officers and no space.
INFRASTRUCTURE WORKS
Our Response:
- Our Web Development team is busy writing this for your knowledge.
INVOLVEMENT OF CIVIL SOCIETY
Our Response:
- Our Web development team is busy writing this for your knowledge.
DISASTER MANAGEMENT
Our Response:
- Disaster Management Units are disorganized.
- Search and Rescue teams more helpful.
REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLANS
Our Response:
- Since 2014 we have passed laws involving LG to be involved in planning and development under a new system- Planning and Facilitation of Development Act.
- The PP Government partially proclaimed the Act in 2015
- PNM sat on it for 8 years and still not proclaimed.