Ten years ago the idea of autonomy and devolution of authority from central government was a popular political idea, but how well has it worked out? Town and City councils are chronically strapped for cash, beset by petty infighting, and regularly unable to meet citizens’ requirement for the delivery of basic goods and services. It’s gotten so bad – particularly in Belize city – that informed opinion in some quarters suggests it would be cheaper and more practical to reverse the whole autonomy regime and go back to public works, police and transport departments running operations and upkeep of city’s and towns.

But that’s not the consensus of decision makers; they hold that there are problems but they can be remedied with systems that demand transparency and accountability. That’s the idea behind the Belize Municipal Development Project which aims at improving municipal service delivery and maintenance capacity across Belize. Today a workshop was held to introduce the idea to all Mayors and senior administrative staff in the nine municipalities. I found out more.

Jim McFadzean Reporting,
The signs of resignation and a general acceptance that the country is heading into an even deeper recession is almost palpable amongst the Belizean populace, and as the Barrow Administration prepares to go public next Monday about how government intends on dealing with the worsening economic crisis, the already cash strapped municipalities are bracing for an even more difficult year ahead. And that’s why a $30 million loan from the World Bank, to assist in the development and good governance of Belize’s municipal governments, might have been just what the Doctor ordered. That was what was being discussed this morning by municipal leaders and administrators in governance workshop at the Radisson.

Hilberto Campos, Mayor – Corozal Town
“It is definitely an assistance, it is not a lot of money, $30 million for 7 municipalities. Infrastructure, at least for the municipality which I represent Corozal Town our biggest challenge is infrastructure. Apart from that we have other social aspects like multipurpose centres, the fish markets, we speaking about helping the life of the community on a whole.”

But the money, like most International monetary assistance, comes with a proviso. Teaching those elected to govern, the most effective methodologies and approaches to good governance such as accountability, transparency, good financial management and the efficient delivery of public services.

Carmen Barrow, Workshop Facilitator
“We really and truly need to make sure that we put structures in place that outlast us. They are elected to serve for three year periods at a time, there is no guarantee they are going to have another three years. But the whole idea is that at the end of the day if they put people at the center of what it is they are doing, it means that they will make sure that they put systems in place, they put protocols in place, that outlast them so that there is that level of accountability, of transparency, of predictability and all the rest of it which says that it doesn’t matter who is in office, things are going to get done in the best interest of the constituents in a particular municipality.”

One such municipality taking some already bold steps in improving the delivery of its public services is the Northern municipality of Orange Walk.

Phillip De LaFuente, Mayor – Orange Walk Town
“My campaign platform to become elected was the main thing to get our own equipment and we are getting our own equipment. We’ve purchased two new garbage trucks, we’ve purchased about four or five brand new heavy brush cutters, we’ve purchased a brand new cement mixer, and in the next week or two we should be getting in our motor grader because we cannot get our work done if we don’t have the equipment to do it. And thanks to the people of Orange Walk, we are getting things done.”

The lack of good human and financial resources, coupled with endemic corruption have crippled these municipalities ability to provide some of the most basic services to their constituencies. Money and technical training in hand from the World Bank, The greatest challenge which remains for these governing bodies, will be in how willing they are prepared to remain accountable to the electorate.

Phillip De LaFuente,
“We do publish our monthly financial report which is sent to the Ministry of Local Government. We have been asking from day one to get the Accountant General or his Ministry of his office to come in and do the audit of the Orange Walk Town Council. We have been asking and pleading because we want to know if we are doing the things right, if we are doing it to the standards that the government is expecting us to do. So we have been asking for them to come in but as of today they haven’t been in yet but we do publish our monthly financial report.”

The Municipal Development Project will be funded by the Government of Belize through a $30 million loan from the World Bank and will be implemented by the Social Investment Fund.