-moves underway to bring rates and taxes in line with 21st centuryThree new towns have been named as Government moves ahead with plans to hand more powers to Local Government bodies.According to the Official Gazette (Extraordinary) published on October 21st, 2015, the three new towns are Mabaruma, Region One; Bartica,Cheap NFL Jerseys Wholesale, Region Seven and Lethem,Wholesale Basketball Jerseys, Region Nine.Minister of Communities, Ronald BulkanThe towns, in keeping with regulations will have their own Mayors, Deputy Mayors, and Town Councilors.In the case of Mabaruma, there will be between 10-14 Councilors, according to the orders signed by Minister of Communities, Ronald Bulkan.Bartica, a community located up the Essequibo River,Wholesale Jerseys Free Shipping, has been growing in recent years as a result of a gold rush to the hinterlands. With a thriving waterfront, power and police stations,cheap nfl jerseys, schools and nightlife, the attraction of Bartica as a tourist stopover has long been touted. It is one of the main gateways also to hinterland communities.Lethem, too, has been growing in importance. With a bridge linking Guyana with neighbouring Brazil across the Takutu River, the previous Government had moved to introduce an industrial zone. Brazilians have been trekking across the bridge to shop in Lethem with the community a central point in Region Nine. Several new businesses have opened there.The three new towns will be in addition to six others across the country- Corriverton, Rose Hall, New Amsterdam in Berbice; Georgetown; Linden, Region 10; and Anna Regina, Essequibo Coast.The establishment of the new townships has been top of the agenda for the David Granger administration since it took office back in May after winning the General and Regional Elections by a slim majority.As part of the plans, the new Government wants to hold Local Government Elections in the first half of next year, giving more autonomy to the community leaders.Already, the administration has merged the Ministry of Housing and Water with the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development to form the Ministry of Communities.Now a township: Bartica, Region 7Earlier this week,China NFL Jerseys, Minister Bulkan, while addressing a capacity building workshop for Municipalities and Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs), disclosed that focus will not only be placed on providing institutional strengthening, but also on ensuring that the Councils’ revenue bases are sufficient to allow for their financial independence and their general autonomy in the management of their affairs.Bulkan noted that attention to the Councils’ financial status is a critical component in the administration’s strategic agenda of decentralising democratic engagement.According to the Government statement yesterday, he explained that the Ministry of Communities will be looking closely at the question as to “where our Councils will get their revenues from, to enable them to have the capacity to be equipped, to effectively discharge their responsibilities.”Focus will therefore be placed on the major source of revenue for the Councils- the proceeds that are collected from rates and that are payable by property owners within their jurisdiction, Minister Bulkan said. He explained that steps will be taken to bring this in line with the 21st?century.He noted that,Cheap NFL Jerseys China, unfortunately, in the case of Georgetown and many of the other Councils, rates were being collected, adjudged by an evaluation exercise that was done in 1996.Of course property value has increased significantly since then, the Minister noted.He pointed out that this has resulted in the Councils not being in a position to garner sufficient revenue from a mechanism which is the main component of their revenue base.He explained that if these local organs were dependent on Central Government for subvention, then “it was easier for Central Government to dictate, dominate, and control, and also to manage the country from the centre.”