Editorial | The future of local government

We have arrived at the half-way point of Local Government and Community Month, with the portfolio ministry promising to strengthen people’s knowledge of local governance.

And while it may be difficult for citizens to keep track of all the commemorative days, weeks and months in any year, Local Government and Community Development Month deserves more than a cursory glance. Indeed, it calls for meaningful engagement, for failure of local government portends disaster for the entire country. It is where government intersects with the community in areas of civic participation, collaboration, partnership and engagement.

Lest we forget, local government is a service ministry. Its role in helping to build strong communities demands that communities are clean, well-lit and safe, citizens are protected during times of disaster, and there is proper infrastructure, approval of building permits and seeing to the functioning of municipal parks and markets.

Sadly, there is no shortage of examples of how the Ministry of Local Government and Community Development is failing to deliver the service expected. On a daily basis, in ways small and huge, we observe these examples – mounds of garbage in the downtown market district, not too far from the Houses of Parliament, and irregular collection from communities, both uptown and downtown Kingston. Citizens protest poor roads, streetlights being out for months, and there are various complaints about nuisances which make their lives miserable.

Looking around for the reasons for this failure may lead to an examination of the budgetary allocation to the ministry, and one may justifiably question the adequacy of the budget to meet the various needs of the community.

SHORTAGE OF HUMAN RESOURCES

Then there is an obvious shortage of human resources. For example, are there enough building inspectors to efficiently undertake the work associated with the boom in building projects? And, if we throw corruption into the mix, we may be able to find examples where projects are not approved, for no discernible reason. However, that can be miraculously changed with the right motivation. In fact, some allegations of corruption in the Kingston and St Andrew Municipal Corporation have been prosecuted.

Then there is the matter of enforceability. Undeniably, it’s a hard task to keep the streets clean when persons continue to discard their trash indiscriminately. The anti-litter law was designed for such offenders. However, they are rarely caught and punished. All in all, even an unscientific review will find that the core functions of the Ministry of Local Government and Community Development are not being met, because of a variety of challenges.

So, how do we break the cycle? Where are the long-term solutions to ensure the agencies are responsive and effective in delivering service? The answers may lie within the agile minds of the cadre of bright young people who are participating in municipal government. Our youth mayors and junior councillors are being empowered to engage in meaningful opportunities to influence policy. Indeed, some of these young leaders may emerge as political leaders in the future. So, with young people articulating and advocating for change, they could become active partners in the search for innovative ways to achieve national economic growth.

A successful month can only be declared if, in the end, the ministry decides on a new model which involves investing in change programmes which are crucial to achieving municipal goals. This new model may involve investment in new skills sets, or partnership with the private sector for short-term support to boost the ministry’s ability to deliver service in a timely and efficient manner.

‘Local Government at Work: Facing the Future Together’ is an appropriate theme around which a roadmap for a sustainable future can be built.