Dark side of local politics

The “soldiers” of our grassroots democracy, the excited candidates for 141 seats, are now busy preparing for August 14.

Unfortunately, many begin as soldiers – confident and willing – but soon, as so many citizens have complained, go “missing in action,” deserting their constituents in need. And, frankly, accountable to no one with sanctions.

Could the new Executive Council oversight remedy this?

We hope that party screening brings us an improved “fit for purpose” group of councillors and not with the same backward style of slackers and deserters. Will the voter turnout be much more than the 34 per cent of 2019, as evidence that our grassroots democracy has grown in the last three years?

One of the dark failures of our local government system is the tolerance of failed councillors who thrive on party protection rather than effectively serving their community.

There are therefore grassroots issues and big-picture issues regarding local government.

In fact, there may be need for a system whereby any lazy, “missing in action” (MIA) councillor could be recalled by burgesses. There have been so many media-driven complaints by citizens – from all corners of the country – regarding MIA councillors. This is part of the dark side. Would increased salaries and the full-time four-year term help?

Citizens now have high expectations that after August 14 their problems will be positively tackled by the newly elected councillors, and they are not just elected for pride and fame.

Are the new councillors entering a den of inequity or a temple for public service? Will the PNM again govern three corporations (10-0, 12-0, 6-0) with no UNC seats? Will the UNC again govern three corporations (14-0, 10-0, 9-0) with no PNM seats?

The “zero” doesn’t mean there are no other citizens. The complicated alderman proportionality does not heal this “democratic inequity” at the ground level, which affects day-to-day living. Equity for public resources must be available.

Current local government reform helplessly perpetuates the inequity by majority. Democracy by majority should have limits at the basic community levels. It gets more sinister inside when a corporation has a six-one or seven-one division. This is a big picture challenge, especially with the increased powers of the corporation’s mayor and his control over the CEO.

We may be able to tolerate skewed political divisions in Parliament mainly because proceedings are highly visible, with certain public measures of accountability, though pressures are building for parliamentary reforms too.

Many countries professing democracy are now under heavy citizens’ protests for the gross inequities perpetrated by majorities that become dictatorship in practice.

The old concept of democracy itself is now facing serious questions. It is no longer a simple matter of having a majority. Individual rights and freedoms must be fairly preserved too. Humanitarianism must sometimes overcome politics.

These are big-picture issues which, like local government reform itself, require out-of-the-box efforts. Our politicians put so much emphasis on party first before country that such considerations may take a long time, if ever.

Or are we prepared to continue living with the silent injustices created by majority rule, which in effect is really “compromised democracy”?

At the grassroots community level, it shouldn’t be such a replica of the Parliament, where one regime after another frequently makes allegations of “geographical and political discrimination.” Local government election results continue to expose, reinforce and sustain these lopsided community divisions, when instead, social unity is required for harmonious community life.

It’s worse when central government is governed by one party and a corporation has a majority from another party. Big-country systems may not be directly suitable for small societies.

How will Minister Faris Al-Rawi’s local government reform help the many distressed citizens? There is nothing precise – by statute or oversight – in the Local Government Reform Act to compel a corporation to fix a justifiable complaint.

Meanwhile, Finance Minister Colm Imbert, at last October’s Conversation on Energy, proudly advised that the oil revenue was “almost twice as much” as expected, that is, $10.45 billion in 2022. He then called on ministries and local government to “spend their increased allocations.” Spend the money, he urged.

Al-Rawi, the Minister of Rural Development and Local Government, expressed satisfaction at getting a significant increase. That should bring a bright side to local government.