Editorial
Effective local government still a far cry?
Not the change the country needs
IT has long been accepted that one of the key reforms necessary for ensuring effective governance would be to vest greater authority for development work in the hands of the elected local government representatives.
Not only was this an election pledge by the AL, but it is one that the Prime Minister has personally made on numerous occasions long before the last campaign season.
It is thus with disappointment that we note that the early indications are that the new government appears set to renege on its solemn commitment to strengthening local government system. Once again, we see that efforts are underway to ensure that control over local development will be in the hands of the MPs and that the elected local government functionaries will be side-lined.
In the first place, we would urge the government to ratify the local government ordinance relating to upazila parishads that was passed by the caretaker government. Failure to do so will send a strong signal that the government is not serious either about its commitments or about reforming local government.
Secondly, an advisory role for MPs in local development is a bad idea, as it will interfere with the upazila chairman's functions, create confusion as to who has ultimate authority, and perpetuate the MPs' hold over development. The exact opposite of the desired outcome.
MPs obviously want to be in charge of local development as they can thus dispense patronage, but it is equally obvious that such an arrangement is hardly in the best interest of the public.
In this regard, attention need also be paid to the role of the bureaucracy and to ensure that there is no confusion as to what their role is and to whom they are answerable. Civil servants operating at the local level need to work in close co-operation with and under the control of the upazila chairman.
We strongly favour the continuation of a local government commission to study the problem on an on-going basis and urge the government to live up to its commitment to deliver effective local governance. Not only was doing so a key election pledge, but it will lead to tangible development benefits for the people and is a key component of the reform that is so over-due.
If the government is not able to deliver meaningful change when it comes to control over local development, then it does not augur well for the other major reforms that are needed for effective governance.
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