Minister Ameen Defends Boundary Review Team скачать в хорошем качестве

Minister Ameen Defends Boundary Review Team

Minister of Rural Development and Local Government and St Augustine MP Khadijah Ameen is dispelling claims by the Opposition that the Cabinet-appointed Committee to review the Boundaries of Municipalities is a UNC committee. Speaking during Thursday’s Post Cabinet Media Briefing, she pushed back against what she claims are “mischievous and misleading” statements by the Opposition Leader. Ms. Ameen noted that the Opposition’s statements risk undermining public confidence in a critical national process. "It is also not chaired by any Minister. It is a Cabinet-appointed Committee led by a retired and very competent former public servant, the former Director of Planning at the Town and Country Planning, and a former acting Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of then-local government. The chairperson of this committee is a technocrat with decades of professional experience and a person who does not have any political affiliation. So this is not a political committee in any way. I think it's really irresponsible for the Leader of Opposition to suggest otherwise." Ms. Ameen said the review process is essential for ensuring more balanced development and modernised local governance, accusing the Opposition of playing politics. "This is about developing our country, and you can't play politics with local government, because local government is so close to the ground. Both PNM and UNC persons have advocated for these changes, and I don't know if Ms. Beckles consulted with her members before she made such a statement, but the changes have to be done, and guidance can be found from what obtained in the late 1980s into 1990."