“This Bill Will Give Local Government More Voice and Bite”

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NASSAU, BAHAMAS – Described as a pivotal milestone for Family Islanders, the new Local Government Bill 2024 was tabled in the House of Assembly by Works and Family Island Affairs Minister Clay Sweeting on Tuesday.

Sweeting says the goal is to revolutionize local government in jurisdictions across the country.

The bill looks to  expand the power of local government for building control, road traffic, town  planning, and revenue raising.

For North Andros Island Administrator Beverley Laramore, it’s something that will benefit her community.

“By allowing the collection of revenue or generation of revenue, we can now work and partner with certain organizations in this community and now bring  in income to make a more impactful project within these communities,” she said. “I know for North Sndros, we have so many projects that we want done we need a hurricane shelter, we want playgrounds in our settlements.”

Local government was first introduced by the Ingraham-led administration in Grand Bahama and the Family Islands back in 1996 after the Local Government Act was passed.

Sweeting admits in recent years, the system has not worked the best when it comes to the recentralization of statutory responsibilities, and the power of local authorities.

Administrator for Exuma Earl Campbell explains why this may be.

“We’re dealing with persons on every council or every town committee in all our Family Islands,” he said.

“And some persons have different views on how things should be done and it’s just a process whereby you just have to keep on pushing, agitating and hopefully we could come to some compromise.”

Over in Harbour Island Chief Councillor Terrance Davis Jr., says despite the challenges faced over the years, the bill now presents a new way forward.

“Prior to this bill we would have just  been a sitting duck,” he said

“We still would have to go through so much to get so much things done but now it almost seems like for the most part of it we have a lot of authority we could do and when it comes to the sort where we can actually receive funds or make funding for ourselves, this is actually good.”