The renewal of local government

The fifth term of local government begins officially during the first seven days of July of this year.

The process begins on June third when those willing to serve their towns nominate for positions in local government. If more persons nominate than are specified, elections will be held on June 26 to determine who sits on the various town committees or councils.

If the correct number of persons nominates, there is no need for an election. If insufficient persons nominate, the Minister may appoint persons to fill the vacancies. Let’s hope that enough persons offer their services so appointments are not necessary. Appointed persons are frequently resented by community factions and this can lead to contentious relations within the committees or councils.

Those elected are required to meet within the first seven days of July and elect their leaders.

Abaco’s Schedule ll District Councils

Abaco’s mainland is divided into three local government districts designated as Schedule II districts, North, Central and South. Presently, if you can get there by a road, there are town committees and district ll councils. In general terms, councils look after the broad issues related to the district, large schools and airports, for instance. Town committees look after localized issues within their townships, residential garbage collection, roadside cleaning and park maintenance, for example.

The newly chairmen of the town committees are automatically appointed as council members. Committee members choose additional members of their committee to represent the town on the district council. The number chosen is determined by the Minister based on population.

Within two weeks of this initial meeting, those chosen to represent their town at the council level meet and elect a chief councillor and deputy chief councillor. The council’s work load begins immediately as statutory boards must be appointed and the budget allowed each council by Nassau is allocated between the council and town committees.

Additionally, schools open in about six weeks and summer work must get underway to be ready for the September opening. Most contracts for road cleaning, garbage collection terminated on June 30 so new contracts must be issued to maintain the required services without interruption. The process is sometimes hampered by governmental budget delay in Nassau.

The budget period for central government and local government both begin on July 1, but nothing happens in the Family Islands until Nassau finalizes the budget debates in May and June and eventually advises the Family Islands what they will get.

Reference was made to the statutory boards and these must be appointed by the new councils. These are the town planning board, shop and liquor licensing board, port authority, hotel licensing board, and road traffic authority. Occasionally, an advisory board will be formed related to tourism, area development or other local interest.

Abaco’s Schedule lll District Councils

If you need a boat to get to a town, the local governing groups are presently designated as Schedule lll Councils. Moore’s Island, Grand Cay and Green Turtle Cay have self governing District lll Councils.

Due to their smaller nature and the logistical problems required to get to them, these smaller towns have all encompassing District lll Councils.

The Hope Town District Council is a bit of an anomaly. Granted, you need a boat to get there. This district is comprised of Elbow Cay, Man-O-War Cay and Guana Cay, perhaps ten miles end-to-end.
Hope Town has been allowed to kept its historic titleas the seat of governmental activities in Central Abaco and remains as the headquarters for these three towns. Meetings are often held in one of the other two towns. Members from two of the towns are always required to go by boat to a meeting, perhaps their own if the weather permits or they use a ferry.

All town issues are handled by the council members including matters related to town planning, shop licensing, port, hotel licensing and the few issues related to road traffic.

Council members of these three towns have been lobbying to either be given singular status following the Green Turtle Cay example or to be incorporated into the Central Abaco Council with some allowance for self rule in town planning and licensing matters.

Government has alluded to changes to the Local Government Act for several years, both under the previous PLP administration and more recently under the present FNM administration but no details have been given. Whether there will be changes for this new local government term remains to be seen. Perhaps the Hope Town District’s three towns will be given some degree of autonomy similar to Green Turtle Cay.

What does all of this mean? The local governing process is only as good as those elected. The tone for the next three years will largely be determined on June 26 when the votes are counted throughout Abaco and the other Family Islands.

Hopefully, the new teams of town committees, councils and statutory boards will be forward thinking persons who get along well with each other and who are looking to the future of their town and the greater Abaco area.

Complaints are often heard that the services required for a growing Abaco are not adequately funded. This is where innovation, partnering and other techniques must be considered. The various town needs must be put in sequence by order of importance.

There are many areas in which funding is not required but for which careful thought and execution can improve our towns and the quality of life for the residents. Town planning decisions do not require funding but those decisions can impact on the town’s welfare and character way into the future. Implementing traffic solutions might require some funding, but careful thinking is needed first.

Abaco’s local government members have traditionally stayed at arm’s length from our two elected representatives to Parliament. However, many things which need to be done are beyond the means or ability of local government. This is where a working partnership with their Member of Parliament should yield dividends. It is also through their Member of Parliament that additional funding might be forthcoming in the future.

Another area to be exploited is a get-together regularly by the island’s chief councillors who “shall cooperate between themselves for the better welfare of the island and of the districts which they represent.”

This requested get-together has not happened during the past four local government terms. Common issues that cross district boundaries might include issues related to tourism, traffic and roads, garbage and trash handling, educating our youth to take advantage of Abaco’s growth and other matters. All of these things require people willing to work together.

We are not sure how many of those presently serving will choose to run again and how many new persons will step forward. Continuity is good, but so are fresh faces with new enthusiasm. In three months, by mid-July, we should have some insights on the new town committees and new councils.

Those who do not run owe it to their communities to assist in coaxing good people to take the job; then they must give their support for the next three years.

As Abaco continues to develop good leadership is critical. It is incumbent on all of us to see that good people nominate to represent us.