Wade Mark: Local government reform a sham

“LOCAL GOVERNMENT REFORM IS A SHAM,” said Senator Wade Mark on Monday as he led his comrades applying to sign up as nominees for the local government elections in Port of Spain.

The nominees submitted their nominations on Henry Street at the OWTU office and the Communication Workers Union office.

Mark said the reform was not a way to put more autonomy in the hands of local government, but a ruse to consolidate power in the hands of the Minister of Finance.

“We are being told that local government reform is along the lines of the THA. In Tobago you have secretaries and you have divisions. However at the end of the day the secretaries, even if they draw up an organisational structure within the corporation, that would have to be approved by the Minister of Finance.

“He has taken over from the Salaries Review Commission, which is supposed to be an independent institution.”

He said local government reform should ensure the councillors have independence and autonomy.

“It is about keeping the separation of powers,” he said. “I am a senator, but the Cabinet or the Prime Minister does not determine what my salary is. My salary is determined by an independent body.

"Local government councillors must have an independent body determining their terms and conditions of employment, not a politician. It's wrong it's wrong to have a politician determining my terms and conditions of employment.”

Last month at a public meeting in Malabar the Prime Minister said the PNM’s focus for the local government election is on local government reform. He said reform is essential to provide a steady revenue stream to councils and would empower them to carry out their daily functions.

Mark said the nomination process for his comrades was smooth.

Pointing out the arrangement between the UNC and Gary Griffith's National Transformation Alliance, he said UNC nominees will stand in six of the 12 electoral districts of Port of Spain, while the NTA will stand in the other six districts.

UNC candidate Leanna Babb-Gonzales said as a shadow councillor for the district she was able to assist members of not only her community, but surrounding areas as well.

"I was able to work with my UNC family and the alderman from San Juan-Laventille to be able to get water for communities in Belle Eau Road, St Francois Valley Road...even people from the Lady Young would ask for my help through WhatsApp," she said. "I try to help everyone. I can't make promises to everyone, but I do try to help as much as I can."