Hillsborough, Carriacou, September 8th, 2010- Another successful round of local government consultations has been completed, led by Permanent Secretary with responsibility for local government implementation, Bernadette Lendore-Sylvester.

This 5th round of consultations commenced on June 8th in Petite Martinique and concluded on September 7th with a meeting at the BBH Community Centre in Harvey Vale for residents of the South Zone. It focused on the revision of the Carriacou and Petite Martinique County Council Bill developed by well-known Grenadian constitutional lawyer, Dr. Francis Alexis, QC.

Some of the concerns raised at the consultations are the need for clarification of the role of the council in relation to the Ministry of Carriacou and Petite Martinique Affairs; fear of interference or manipulation by central government; and the eligibility of councillors.

Minister for Carriacou and Petite Martinique Affairs Senator George Prime, a strong advocate of local government, noted that Section 107 of the Grenada Constitution makes provision for local government. The local government concept, he said, will develop strong communities rooted in the spirit of participation in local development.

The implementation of local government in Carriacou and Petite Martinique, many believe, would be a fitting tribute to the late Prime Minister Herbert Blaize. He, with the assistance of lawyer Jack Dear, was responsible for the inclusion of the local government clause in the Constitution.

By Deanna Isaac
Carriacou