T&T has a few serious challenges. They are, reducing criminal activities in our communities, reducing the congestion on the roads, restructuring the economy, restructuring agriculture and restoring dignity to the politics of our land.
Citizens, however, are very interested in how these can be achieved in the shortest possible time. Reducing criminal activity demands a restructuring of the management of our communities.
Reduction of the congestion can only be achieved in the short term by getting as many people off the roadway and onto a rail system that is independent of the roads.
The restructuring of the economy can only be achieved by diversification through a number of different initiatives rather than a few oil and gas-based investments. These ought to include tourism, carnival and pan marketing, large scale production of livestock and targeted crops, manufacturing, marine services and technology based industries.
Citizens, however, while aware of the macro economic challenges, want to see improvements in their community. The solution is local government reform.
Traditional approaches to local government reform will not work. Regardless of how well-intentioned the initiatives of government, the legislative agenda, infrastructure challenges and constitutional restrictions can make real reform elusive. The solution is to think outside the traditional legislative box.
Let us first start with the objectives of the new local government structure. Communities ought to be responsible for the maintenance of public buildings (schools, government offices and health facilities).
They ought to be responsible for the maintenance of street signs, local roads, water distribution and plumbing repairs, road restoration, sewer services, beach maintenance, parking facilities, garbage disposal and recycling, building approvals, land survey, local taxes, environmental management, disaster preparedness, fire services and most importantly security and local justice.
The legislative agenda and structures needed to make this a reality is enormous and can take a very long time. Citizens, however, want results immediately.
If something is not done quickly, the population can very likely see a new government elected into office every five years with little or no improvement.
The solution is two steps. First, there needs to be clearly established communities along traditional boundaries. For example, the community of Toco can include, Matelot, Grande Rivere, Sans Souci, Redhead and Rampanalgas. Moruga, for example, can include Basse Terre, Bios Gen Gen, La Ruffin, Grand Chemin, La Lune and Marac.
These communities, about 80 or so, ought to be the categorised as towns, villages or cities.
The second step is to establish special purpose companies for the sole purpose of managing the communities until the statutory structures are in place to replace the companies.
That allows for immediate implementation of the management of the communities as well as an opportunity to tweak the shortcoming of the new structure before the laws are enacted to restructure the governance of our communities.
God bless our nation.
Steve Alvarez
