Govt
may delay local elections once again
By Louis B Homer, South Bureau
Trinidad Express
Port
Spain
Petroleumworldtt.com
03 18 07
Prime
Minister Patrick Manning has hinted at a further
postponement of local government elections which
are constitutionally due in July.
In
his address to constituents of Tabaquite, following
a walkabout in Ragoobar lands, Gaspar-illo, Manning
said: "If the UNC loses the general election
they will still have a say in local government since
they have control over a significant number of councils."
He
said government had decided on power sharing in
the new changes which will give local government
bodies wider powers. "This decision is dictated
by certain recent events," Manning said.
He
said the new arrangements for local government included
new boundaries, an administrative structure and
executive councils at local government level for
the execution of government's policy.
Manning
said: "In reforming the constitution power
sharing will be a mechanism, whether you lose an
election or not you will not be left out of the
government."
In
the local government reform it is proposed to appoint
some members of the local government bodies as senators
in parliament.
A
political analyst told the Express yesterday that
if Manning is serious about local government reform
the proposals could hardly materialise in four months.
"There is still a lot to be done before local
government elections could be held so it is clear
that a further postponement is in the offing,"
said the analyst.
Local
government elections which were due last year were
postponed for one year which will end in July.
Trinidad
Express
Monday, March 12th 2007
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