Minister of Local Government, Nigel Dharamlall has announced that several persons who were linked to corrupt practices while members of various Neighborhood Democratic Councils (NDCs) and Municipalities have been given with marching orders.
Dharamlall outlined that the dismissals were done based on audits that were conducted which highlighted multiple reports of financial infractions at NDCs and municipalities across the country.
The move by the Minister, comes ahead of the March 2023 Local Government Elections (LGE), which according to him, will pave the way for the strengthening of local democracies and improved financial management at the local level.
“We are committed to ensuring that we continue to work with NDCs and municipalities to provide training and development, capacity building, institutional support to all 70 NDCs and 10 municipalities, just so that there can be better administration,” he expressed.
The minister noted that while some infractions were as a result of procedures not being followed, others came about due to persons simply being ‘plain corrupt’. To this end, he noted that a democratic process of selecting representatives is paramount.
Hence, he said the ministry had supported recommendations from the Local Government Commission to dismiss overseers, town clerks, and treasurers due to evidence of corruption.
Further, Minister Dharamlall said those cases requiring criminal prosecutions are underway.
“So, as we move forward, we will continue to work towards strengthening the work of local democratic organs, and the staff should find a friend in me, in making sure that they manage well, and an enemy in me if they are corrupt,” the minister asserted.
