Cosmetic!
That was the word used by the Opposition to describe government’s attempt to pass legislation to turn the regional corporations of Siparia and Diego Martin into boroughs.
The bill was piloted on Friday by Rural Development and Local Government Minister, Faris Al-Rawi.
However, St Augustine MP Khadija Ameen argued that the legislation was “a superficial attempt to pretend to do something about local government.”
She asked government: “What was your approach in terms of your methodological framework that was utilised? What developmental studies and guidelines were utilised to make this decision? What consultations were conducted? The answer is none.”
Ameen said, “the minister failed to indicate to us how the change in status, from taking an eraser and rubbing off the name regional, replace it with the name borough…to tell us how that would bring about greater economic, human and infrastructural development in Siparia and Diego Martin.”
She asked the Government to say what resources would be provided to improve the roads to Sparia, for example, in keeping with the aim to elevate its status to a borough.
Ameen said the Government was “putting the cart before the horse” by not developing the corporations before seeking to give them borough status.
She also criticised the Government for not increasing resources to the corporations in keeping with more responsibilities under them when they become boroughs.
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