Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar says the Municipal Corporations (Amendment) Bill is part of efforts to build a Local Government system that works for all.
In a post on social media this afternoon, she says there has been no meaningful changes to municipal boundaries for decades, even as communities grew and populations shifted.
As such, she believes there are “significant disparities”, with some municipalities serving much larger and growing populations while operating within boundaries established decades ago.
The Bill was laid in the Lower House today, and the PM says it seeks to address inequalities by creating new municipalities, adjusting boundaries and ensuring that Local Government better reflects the communities it serves.
“Everyone knows that Local Government has been underperforming for years. Service delivery is poor and citizens are not getting value for money. By increasing the number of municipal corporations from 14 to 17, we will improve the efficiency of service delivery to citizens, including building inspections, development approvals, the cleaning of watercourses and built infrastructure, insect control and other essential services,” said the PM’s statement.
