AFC Accuses PPP of Political Interference in Mahdia’s Local Governance

By Mark DaCosta-The Alliance For Change (AFC) has raised alarm over what it describes as deliberate political interference in the operations of the Mayor and Town Council of Mahdia (TM&TCM). AFC Municipal Councillor, Daniel Fraser, has publicly criticised the ruling People’s Progressive Party (PPP) for undermining the council’s autonomy and bypassing established local governance systems to advance partisan interests.

Fraser’s statement follows a visit by senior members of the PPP government to the municipality earlier this month. Led by Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo, the PPP delegation distributed household cash grants to residents of Mahdia and neighbouring Amerindian villages. However, the AFC contends that the distribution was not only poorly organised but also strategically manipulated to favour PPP loyalists at the expense of legitimate residents.

According to Fraser, the PPP’s handling of the grant distribution in Mahdia was a clear demonstration of partisan politics. He argued that there was no formal communication from the local council or through any widely accessible medium about the planned disbursements. Instead, many residents learned about the event at the last minute, resulting in long waits under the sweltering sun, only to be told they were not on the list to receive the grant.

Further allegations were made that the list of beneficiaries was compiled not by the Municipal Council but by the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs, with the assistance of Community Support Officers (CSOs). This, Fraser noted, was in stark contrast to the Amerindian villages, where the council played a role in the process. As a result, he claimed that a significant number of genuine household heads were left out, while individuals with connections to the PPP, including foreign workers in local nightclubs owned by PPP-affiliated businessmen, were granted the funds.

“This is a blatant act of political discrimination,” Fraser declared. “Our people, who have dedicated their lives to the gold and diamond industries, were sidelined. It’s clear that the PPP is more interested in rewarding its supporters than serving the people of Mahdia.”

The AFC has further criticised the PPP government for what it sees as a concerted effort to diminish the role of local government in Mahdia. Fraser noted that decisions made by the council have been repeatedly delayed, disregarded, or overruled by political directives from the PPP.

In one particularly concerning example, Fraser pointed to an incident involving the council’s decision to block a local nightclub from hosting an event that would have disrupted the Mahdia District Hospital. Despite the council’s objections, permission was reportedly granted by both the police and the Regional Health Officer, allowing the event to proceed in violation of local laws.

Fraser warned that this disregard for the council’s authority was part of a broader strategy by the PPP to take control of Mahdia’s municipal affairs. He accused the government of attempting to install a known PPP supporter, the Deputy Regional Executive Officer of Region 8, as Town Clerk, despite the council’s unanimous decision to appoint the current Accounts Clerk II to the post.

“The council has become nothing more than a spectacle of amusement for the PPP,” Fraser lamented. “Our decisions are being ignored, and the very system of local governance enshrined in our Constitution is under threat.”

Adding to the AFC’s concerns is the fact that the Local Government Service Commission (LGSC), which oversees the functioning of local government bodies across Guyana, has been dormant since April 2024. Despite the critical role the LGSC plays in ensuring the smooth operation of municipalities and Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs), the commission has not been reconstituted by the government. Without the LGSC, Fraser argued, there is no effective oversight or accountability for the actions of local government officials, leaving councils like Mahdia vulnerable to political manipulation.

Fraser noted that while the Secretary of the Commission remains in office, they lack the authority to perform the full functions of the commission, further compounding the dysfunction in local governance.

The AFC also used the opportunity to highlight broader failures of the PPP government in hinterland communities, particularly the lack of internet access in Indigenous villages. Citing the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), the AFC argued that the government’s neglect of these areas constitutes a violation of basic human rights, including the right to education.

The party called on the government to urgently address the disparity in internet access between hinterland and coastal schools, ensuring that all children, regardless of their location, have access to quality education.

The AFC’s criticisms underscore growing tensions between local councils and the central government, with accusations of political overreach and manipulation dominating the discourse.