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Local Media Discuss Local Government Reform
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Local Media Discuss Local Government Reform
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Contact:Roger
Joseph
Wednesday,
February 07, 2001
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Minister with responsibility for Local Government, Honourable Damian Greaves, is
seeking the assistance of the local media in promoting the vision for a new and
improved system of local government. In
presenting the ministry’s Green Paper on Local Government Reform to media
representatives earlier this week, the minister suggested that there was a need
to demystify governance and the workings of government. In
that respect the media were invited to review the Green Paper, seek
clarification where needed and present their own views and suggestions for
consideration in the White Paper that is to follow the consultative process on
the Green Paper, which began with the media on Tuesday. Minister
Greaves said the media had an opportunity to read the document and digest it
they came forward with some very interesting proposals and recommendations for
consideration. “One of the most
excellent points was the idea of putting the document on the Internet through
the intervention of GIS (Government Information Service) and also soliciting
some discussion through the Internet… so that we could market the vision of
Local Government even beyond the shores of St. Lucia, in terms of St. Lucians
living in the wider Diaspora,” the minister added. Consultation
on the Green Paper continues next week when the ministry meets with Chairpersons
of the existing towns and village councils.
This will be followed by a meeting with Permanent Secretaries and other
senior public servants on February 20. Consultations
at the community level will begin shortly thereafter with a view to developing a
White Paper on Local Government Reform that is to go before the Cabinet of
Ministers. That White Paper will
also guide the development of the necessary legislation for instituting local
government. The minister says some research into the cost of implementation will also be done at that stage and the process is expected to be completed within 18 months. |
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