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The People’s Progressive Party Civic Government is moving to the National Assembly to redraw the boundaries of local authority areas and communities.
According to Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Nigel Dharamlall, “In 2018, the APNU+AFC changed many of the local councils (Neighbourhood Democratic Councils) reducing constituencies and forcing people into constituencies where they [APNU+AFC] had the majority … So, what we have basically done, is to revert all those constituencies that were changed in 2018 back to the 2016 [election] boundaries lines.”
He further stated that these necessary actions must occur if local government organs and areas are to continue functioning smoothly.
“In Region One, where Mabaruma is concerned, we have extended that boundary to include the residents of Wauna because they have basically been living without local government representation. It is important to bring them into the local government system so that they are part of the local authority area and they can benefit from the investments through local government” the minister said.
“In Region Three there are villages which are not part of a local authority area, and we have decided to include them because they also require services that are usually provided by the Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDC).”
Moreover, in Region Five additional communities are being streamlined for representation, where there are non-existent. The minister however pointed out that “it is not a massive amount of people, but what we want is to reach every single person in terms of our development agenda”.
In Region six, the legislation is being amended to create two NDCs which will improve representation.
“We have done consultation across these specific areas and everyone is happy to revert firstly to the 2016 boundaries, and in the area that is being extended [citizens] are happy to be included [where they will now receive representation]” minister Dharamlall contended.
The changes, the minister noted, will maintain the number of NDCs, which is 70, with no modification in terms of contesting boundaries, and it is the opposite of the action of disenfranchisement undertaken by the previous administration.
Again in “2018 the APNU+AFC divided one NDC into two in Essequibo. Now we are merging those NDC back into one because of the population size so that they can benefit again from investment through local government and this was done in consultation with the residents of the area”
Further, the minister said, the redrawing of the boundaries will enable government to provide even greater levels of support to every NDC.
