Imbert to control Local Govt

Minister of Finance Colm Imbert 
Photo by Jeff Mayers
Minister of Finance Colm Imbert Photo by Jeff Mayers

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.

This was revealed yesterday by Minister Hosein who said the move falls within the Local Government reform initiative. He said new legislation will be taken to Parliament in January to effect the changes. The reform includes full time positions for councillors and more autonomy and authority for corporations.

He said the new arrangement would borrow from the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) model in terms of enhanced remuneration packages and other benefits.

“There will be no Rural Development and Local Government Ministry again. There will only be a Ministry of Rural Development. Local Government Corporations will report directly to the Ministry of Finance. That is in the reform,” Hosein confirmed.

He also said that from January, the Community-Based Environmental Protection and Enhancement Programme (CEPEP) which currently falls under his ministry, will be split three-ways. A third of the Cepep work force will be assigned to the Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Works and Ministry of Rural Development. Chairman of CEPEP is Ashton Forde, a former Mayor of Arima.

Local government reform was a general election promise made by the PNM in 2015 and again in the Local Government Election a year later. Several consultations were held in each of the municipal regions and legislation was drafted by National Security Minister Stuart Young who was then in the office of the Attorney General.

Chaguanas Mayor Gopaul Boodan said anything that would make local government more efficient and effective would have his full support. He lauded the proposal for executive councils that would have more autonomy and authority to provide services faster to burgesses.

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"Imbert to control Local Govt"

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