Dominica: Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit concluded a nationwide series of engagements with Village, Urban and City Councils, last week. Those were mainly focused on strengthening local governance and supporting community development.
Reportedly, the discussions during the engagement considered open and honest dialogue on community priorities, shared challenges and opportunities for making closer collaboration between central and local government.
During those gatherings PM Skerrit announced financial support to help councils in advancing community-based projects, that are supported by clear accountability and reporting arrangements to ensure transparency and real results.
According to him, such engagements with local authorities will continue, with follow-up discussions. It will continuously maintain monitoring to ensure that projects are implemented effectively and are aligned with the national development goals.
These engagements were observed for national progress that lies within the vitality of its local communities. This signalled a transformative shift towards more integrated and responsive local governance.
Further the discussions highlighted various challenges faced between a rural village and a bustling city. The main objectives remained same i.e. sustainable development, improved infrastructure and enhanced public services.
With these engagements, PM Skerrit recognised that local councils are best positioned to identify high-impact initiatives. He identified this engagement as the announcement of direct financial support.
Prime Minister explained that this funding is specifically accelerating community-based projects. However, this investment comes with a sophisticated framework of accountability and transparency.
To ensure the effective implementation of the projects regular tracking and audits will be done. It will be in total alignment with national development goals while keeping citizens informed of hoe funds are being utilised in their specific districts.
These meetings were beginning of a sustained partnership. The government has committed to ongoing follow-up discussions and rigorous monitoring to ensure that the momentum generated is not lost.
By aligning local initiatives with national development objectives, Dominica aims to create a seamless local success and drive national prosperity. Through this collaborative approach, the government ensures that governance is not just something that happens to communities but something that is built with them, as for them people of the nation are priority.