Minister of Local Government and Regional Development Priya Manickchand on Thursday said the ministry is repositioning itself to better deliver services at the community level, as she pointed to increased funding and capacity-building measures for local democratic organs across the country.
Speaking during her contribution to the 2026 Budget debates in the National Assembly, Manickchand stressed that citizens expect improved living conditions and stronger community services from local authorities.
“We know what our citizens want: a wholesome, clean, safe community to live in. Homes that they can call their own… roads that they can walk down safely on because there are streetlights… playgrounds… health centers that work… schools that deliver solid education,” the minister said. “That’s what our citizens want. And we’re hearing them. And we’re listening to them.”
She said the ministry’s role cuts across all communities nationwide and must now adapt to what she described as a “new progressive Guyana.”
“The local government ministry… is a ministry that cuts across every sector in every community from regions one to 10, from the coastland to the hinterland,” she told the House. “Local government has to look at itself now in a different light.”
Manickchand said the time is right for the country to assess whether decentralisation and devolution of power, goals set out in the legislation establishing the ministry, have been fully achieved.
“When the legislation was passed… there was an intention clearly by the lawmakers that we would decentralize services. That means everything wouldn’t be based in Georgetown… I think it’s a good time for the country to examine whether we’ve done that,” she said. “If we have not, what must we do?”
According to the minister, the country currently has 70 neighbourhood democratic councils (NDCs), 10 municipalities and 10 regional democratic councils, all of which must be strengthened.
“We must find a space where we can make sure all of these local government bodies are working. That is the mission. The mission is to now build capacity,” she said, adding that training will target both local officials and the communities they serve.
Manickchand announced that the 2026 budget allocates significant resources directly to local bodies, with each NDC to receive $30 million and each municipality $50 million.
“The NDCs will get a total of $2.1 billion and the municipalities $500 million,” she said. “We expect some level of autonomy, where these local government bodies, through consultation with their communities, are going to determine what might be best for their neighborhoods.”
The ministry is also moving to improve physical infrastructure for local governance. Manickchand said eight new NDC buildings will be constructed and five rehabilitated at a cost of $480 million.
“We are building eight new NDC buildings and rehabilitating five… and what we have done… is we have determined what it is we want in each NDC,” she said, outlining plans for standardised facilities that include help desks, cashier areas and single-window service systems.
The minister added that work is also planned for municipal facilities, including the Rose Hall, Mahdia and New Amsterdam town councils, with $150 million earmarked this year.
“This would be the beginning of re-looking at all the great work done by the various ministers that came before me… We have to look at how, whether we are where we want to be, and if we aren’t, how do we get to the next place,” she said.
