Speeches in the National Assembly

MUNICIPAL AND DISTRICT COUNCILS (AMENDMENT) 2012 – Bill No. 9/2012
Mr. G. Persaud: Mr. Speaker, I wish to beg that the Bill intituled the Municipal and District Council (Amendment) Bill 2012 Bill, No. 19 of 2012, standing in my name be read for a second time.
The main purpose of this Bill is to amend the Municipal and District Council Act Chapter 28:01 so as to revise the provisions pertaining to municipal councils. During the course of this revision no distinction is made between individual councils and towns. The Bill seeks to update various fines, fees and charges, in order to make them meaningful in view of the current currency values and the present day market prices for goods and services. This is responding positively to the consistent requests from local authorities for increase in the various fines, fees and charges. It is often stated that the cost for preparing some of these documents to pursue some of the required actions are far greater than the fees, fares, fines and charges. This Bill will provide opportunities for greater services to be generated and provided to residents across the municipalities. It will also provide a motivational pull for local authorities to enforce their by-laws and maintain law and order.
It is anticipated that the increase in fines will serve as a deterrent to persons who otherwise may have been tempted to break the laws. Further, the Bill seeks to ensure that all municipalities are empowered similarly rather than deferentially as is existing presently.
Mr. Speaker, I wish to urge all my Hon. Colleagues in this House in lending their support in allowing this Bill to be read for a second time. Thank you. [Applause]

Mr. G. Persaud (replying): Thank you very much Mr. Speaker. Permit me to express thanks to all the Hon. Members who would have spoken in support of the Municipal and District Councils (Amendment) Bill, No. 19/2012.
There are some comments that were made in this discourse that I refer to when we deal with the appropriate Bills, but I want to assure this House that the Municipal and District Councils (Amendment) Bill, No. 19 /2012 nor the Local Government Commission Bill does not allow in any way for appointment by a Local Government Commission at the level of Regional Democratic Councils. I will espouse more on that when we deal with that Bill in itself.
It is unfortunate that sometimes we judge human beings and we judge them in a manner that is de-motivating. It is unfortunate that the Hon. Member, Mr. Bulkan would have seen no good in the present Local Government Officers and staff that we have across the 71 Local Authorities presently. I too, like all of us am hoping that we can have staff who by their working experience, on the job training and exposure can continue to grow with the Local Government  system. I do appreciate that we have a lot of staff out there who have been working very dedicatedly, very conscientiously to keep whatever we have as Local Government and Local Authorities, NDCs and Municipalities operating. My thanks to them all.
Mr. Speaker, I wish to now commend the Municipal and District Councils (Amendment) Bill, Bill No. 19 of 2012 to this Hon. House for Second Reading. Thank you.