Gov’t budgets $2.9B for 2020 poll preparations -constitutional reform survey to be undertaken
Some $5.4 billion will be allocated to the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) for 2019, of which $2.9 billion will be for the preparation of the 2020 General and Regional Elections, Finance Minister Winston Jordan announced on Monday.
Jordan also disclosed that $1 billion will be allocated as fiscal transfers to support local democratic organs (LDOs) and $320 million is to be spent on mass property valuations over an 18 months period between October 2018 and the first quarter of 2020.
Jordan also said constitutional reform remains a mandate that the coalition government is keen to fulfil and funding has also been budgeted to this end.
In his budget speech in the National Assembly on Monday, Jordan said that in recognition of the upcoming general elections, GECOM’s budget for 2019 has been almost doubled from its 2018 allocation. “This is to facilitate early preparations and to ensure the smooth conduct of these most important elections,” he added.
Local gov’t
On local governance, Jordan said, the lower turnout at the recent polls, relative to 2016, is an indication that much more is needed to restore confidence and awareness in local government.
“It is our collective hope as a nation that Local Government and General and Regional Elections will continue to be held when due, so that we can enjoy our right to representation and, as a demonstration of our commitment to democracy,” he added.
At the inaugural National Conference for Local Democratic Organs, held earlier this year, Jordan noted that President David Granger charged municipal and Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs) to be more proactive with regard to the local economy and to improve revenue generation to maintain autonomy. He reminded them of their constitutional responsibilities to provide public services, many of which the central government had to step in to support.
To build capacity in the local government bodies and to help them execute their responsibilities, government has targeted over 1,000 people for training in planning, procurement and financial management among other areas. In 2019, “we plan to provide training and skill-building for a further eight NDCs and one municipality,” Jordan said.
He said that over $1 billion has been set aside as fiscal transfers to support the operations and community works of the local democratic organs (LDOs).
Government has agreed to invest $320 million to conduct mass property valuations over an 18-month period between October, 2018 and the first quarter of 2020.
Following its completion, the updated valuation register, he said, will be handed over to the respective LDOs for their determination and action.
This will mark the first national valuation of properties in decades, he said, “and will allow the LDOs to improve their revenue base, which will allow them to more effectively serve their communities and provide public services such as roads, street lights, drains and garbage disposal.”
Plans of Action for Regional Development (PARD) and Plans of Action for Municipal Development (PAMD) were spearheaded and developed by the coalition government after consultations. Nine PAMDs have been completed and another four are to be completed, in 2019.
Regions 9 (Upper Essequibo/Upper Takutu) and 10 (Upper Demerara/Upper Berbice) have undertaken PARDs and this process is expected to be advanced in Region 6 (East Berbice/Corentyne) in 2019.
“These strategic plans are just documents. Each regional democratic council and municipal council must take ownership and lead the transformation of their respective areas. Implementation plans must be developed and costed, resource mobilisation must be undertaken and continued performance monitoring must occur to verify that each LDO is achieving the desired positive impact on the lives of their citizens in their communities.”
Constitutional reform
Jordan also said government remains hopeful that the bi-partisan Standing Committee on Constitutional Reform will conclude its review of the Constitutional Reform Consultative Commission Bill, which was referred to it over a year ago, he said.
Budgetary provisions have been made “to mount a survey and an awareness programme, in partnership with University of Guyana and others, to seek to assess the current understanding of constitutional reform by the general populace and their expectations, while the awareness programme will aim to stimulate a grassroots participatory approach to the entire process.
Jordan did not say how much was allocated in 2019 for the constitutional reform process.
He noted that the government has done more in three and a half years in office to uphold the rule of law and constitutional obligations, than others.
Government welcomes the scrutiny of the bill, Jordan said, “as we collectively recognise the need to adapt our Constitution to reflect our evolution as a democracy.”
Leader of Government Business Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo, he noted, will continue to spearhead constitutional reform with the full support of Government.
“We have established a number of constitutional bodies, as mandated by our Constitution, including but not limited to the Public Procurement Commission and the Local Government Commission. We have re-constituted several dormant constitutional bodies, including the Public Service Appellate Tribunal, Integrity Commission and Ethnic Relations Commission. We have enacted legislation to promote the financial independence of the constitutional bodies,” he also said, while adding that collectively constitutional agencies account for approximately 3.5 per cent of budget 2019, up from 3.3 per cent in 2018.