Choiseul On The Move

 

CHOISEUL-SALTIBUS HAS A NEW COUNCIL: NOW THE WORK BEGINS

Choiseul-Saltibus has a newly sworn-in Constituency Council, the first council team to serve under Parliamentary Representative Keithson Charles, better known to many as Kiffo.

The Council is headed by Nyus Alfred as Chairperson, with Emina Antoine as Deputy Chairperson.

The other members are:

Eve Aimable, Vincent Peter, Sandy Joseph, Cyril Edward, Esther Theophane, Arthanasus Mitchel, Nadege Noel, Johann Williams, Cannice Richardson, Jenny Gillard and Gaspard Blaize. 

Sources within the Village  Council say one name cannot be released because the appointee was absent for the swearing ceremony.

The Council Clerk is Enora Justin

We congratulate all those who have accepted the responsibility to serve.

But after the swearing-in, the photographs, the handshakes and the congratulations, comes the more important part.

What is this Council actually expected to do for the people of Choiseul-Saltibus?

That is where the law becomes important.

THIS IS KIFFO’S FIRST COUNCIL TEAM, BUT THE COUNCIL HAS A LEGAL ROLE OF ITS OWN

Politically, people will naturally describe this as Kiffo’s first council team because it is the first Constituency Council serving during his tenure as Parliamentary Representative.

Legally, however, the Council is not simply an extension of the Parliamentary Representative’s office.

Under Saint Lucia’s Constituency Councils Act, Act No. 1 of 2012, a Constituency Council consists of between nine and fifteen members, appointed by the Minister responsible for Local Government through an Order published in the Gazette.

The law also says that members are to be selected from different categories, including civil society, political parties represented in Parliament, persons with proven capacity in areas such as agriculture, community development, business, tourism, health, social development and the environment, as well as a representative of the Ministry responsible for Local Government.

For Choiseul-Saltibus, the law also provides for the Minister to appoint the Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson from among the members of the Council.

That distinction matters.

The Council may work closely with Kiffo, as any constituency council will naturally work with its Parliamentary Representative, but it also has responsibilities that are set out in law.

SO WHAT IS THE COUNCIL SUPPOSED TO DO?

This is where residents should pay close attention.

The Constituency Councils Act gives the Council a number of responsibilities.

It is expected to help identify and prioritise the needs of the constituency, assist in the delivery of services, make recommendations to Government on programmes and projects, serve as a link between residents and Government agencies, refer people to the appropriate agencies when services are needed, and maintain information about the constituency.

Put that in simple language.

The Council should know what is happening in Choiseul-Saltibus.

It should know where the problems are.

It should know which communities are being left behind.

It should know where the roads are bad, where drains are blocked, where community facilities need attention, where farmers need access, where young people need support and where vulnerable residents may need assistance.

The Council should not have to wait until somebody gets frustrated and writes a Facebook post before it becomes aware of a problem.

EVERY COMMUNITY MUST FEEL REPRESENTED

One of the biggest tests for this new Council will be whether people across the constituency feel that it belongs to all of Choiseul-Saltibus.

That means residents in Choiseul Village, La Fargue, Reunion, Roblot, Saltibus, Debreuil, Mongouge, Piaye, Industry and the other surrounding communities should feel that the Council is accessible to them.

A Constituency Council cannot be effective if people only know its members when there is a ceremony.

Residents should see Council members in the communities.

They should know how to reach them.

They should know where to raise concerns.

And they should know what happens after those concerns are raised.

PUBLIC MEETINGS ARE NOT OPTIONAL

One of the most important provisions in the law is the requirement for public meetings.

The Constituency Councils Act requires councils to hold two public meetings every year to inform residents about the Council’s progress and agenda.

That alone should tell us something.

The law does not expect residents to remain in the dark.

The public has a right to know what the Council is doing.

Choiseul on the Move would encourage this new Council to go even further than the minimum required.

Tell residents what you are working on.

Tell them what has been approved.

Tell them what has been delayed.

Tell them where funding is a problem.

Tell them which agency is responsible for an issue.

And tell them when something simply cannot be done.

People can understand difficulty.

What creates frustration is silence.

SET PRIORITIES EARLY

Two years can pass very quickly.

Council members generally serve for a two-year term, so this team should not lose valuable months simply trying to figure out what it wants to do.

There should be an early assessment of the constituency.

What are the five biggest problems in Choiseul-Saltibus right now?

Which roads are most urgently in need of attention?

Which drains and waterways pose a flooding risk?

What are the most pressing needs of farmers?

Which playing fields and community facilities need repairs?

Where are the sanitation problems?

Where are residents having difficulty accessing Government services?

What opportunities exist for young people?

Which communities are repeatedly being overlooked?

These are the kinds of questions that should guide the Council’s work.

USE THE SKILLS OF PEOPLE OUTSIDE THE COUNCIL

The Council does not have to do everything alone.

The law allows councils to establish committees to assist with their work.

That creates an opportunity to involve people from across Choiseul-Saltibus who have skills and experience.

The Council could consider focused committees or working groups in areas such as:

• agriculture;
• youth and sports;
• roads and drainage;
• community beautification;
• tourism and heritage;
• disaster preparedness;
• elderly and vulnerable residents;
• small business and entrepreneurship;
• education and youth development.

Choiseul has many capable people.

Use them.

Consult farmers.

Consult teachers.

Consult business owners.

Consult sports clubs.

Consult youth groups.

Consult community organisations.

Good local government does not mean thirteen people sitting around a table trying to know everything.

It means bringing the community into the process.

TRANSPARENCY WILL MATTER

The law also contains provisions dealing with conflicts of interest.

If a Council member has a personal interest in a matter before the Council, that interest must be declared and the member should not take part in the decision.

That is important.

Local councils may deal with contracts, employment opportunities, community projects and recommendations that could involve relatives, friends, businesses or political supporters.

The public must have confidence that decisions are being made fairly.

The law also requires proper financial records and reporting.

So when public money is involved, residents are entitled to expect accountability.

THIS COUNCIL WILL ALSO BECOME PART OF KIFFO’S RECORD

Although the Council has legal responsibilities of its own, we should not pretend that politics disappears.

This is Keithson Charles’ first council team.

Its performance will inevitably become part of how people judge his representation.

If the Council is active, visible, responsive and fair, Kiffo will benefit from that.

If communities feel ignored, if the Council becomes invisible or overly partisan, or if residents cannot see what it is accomplishing, he will also carry some of that political responsibility.

That is simply how constituency politics works.

But the Council members themselves must also understand something.

They are not there merely to defend a political party or promote an MP.

They are there to serve the people.

All the people.

WHAT CHOISEUL ON THE MOVE EXPECTS

Choiseul on the Move wishes Chairperson Nyus Alfred, Deputy Chairperson Emina Antoine and every member of the new Council well.

We want them to succeed.

Because if they succeed, Choiseul-Saltibus benefits.

Our expectations are not unreasonable.

We expect accessibility.

We expect regular communication.

We expect visits to communities.

We expect residents to be consulted.

We expect problems to be documented and followed up.

We expect fairness.

We expect transparency.

We expect the Council to make use of the skills and knowledge already available within our communities.

And we expect residents to be told what is happening, even when the answer is not always what they want to hear.

The swearing-in ceremony is now over.

The congratulations will soon fade.

What will remain is the work.

This is Kiffo’s first council team. Now let us see what it can deliver for Choiseul-Saltibus.