Local Government Commissioner earns over 700,000 monthly

-Commission has 48 employees

Chairman of the Local Government Commission, Mortimer Mingo earns over 700,000.00 monthly among other benefits.  This is the disclosure made by Minister of Local Government, Nigel Dharamlall recently. The minister was at the time addressing municipality councillors along with other key personnel of the Linden Town and Mayor’s office. 

At the time the Minister was responding to several complaints raised by councillors against the Commission with several questioning their effectiveness and relevance considering the exceptionally long wait of persons for decisions and or actions.

Many councillors noted that the Commission seems to be operating as though they have no respect and or concerns for the issues that are brought before them with suggestions that the Commission be disbanded.

However, the minister said that since assuming office on August 5, he continues to be bombarded with numerous complaints against the Commission’s work. 

“I can tell you this and you can quote me that the Chairman, you know Mr. Mortimer Mingo earns over 700,000.00 monthly and also the commission has 48 staff but yet you and many others are awaiting action on several issues. The deputy earns a substantial amount too and this is what has been happening, large salaries but little and or no work,” the Minister said.

The Minister noted that while Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Gail Teixeira and some government agencies have a smaller component of staff, the Commission is staked with a ‘large’ number of employees. “Minister Teixeira have just about four to five persons working with her ministry, while there are other agencies that have small amount but for some reason the commission have 48 staff and as the Minister I will look into this because there must be increased efficiencies,” he stressed.

The minister related that during the tabling and debate of the emergency budget it was him who presented and defended the Commission’s budget, noting that they (Commission) operate as though they are a law unto themselves. “They fall under my ministry as we are the ones that have to defend and present their budget, but they operate as though they are in charge of the ministry, instead of us and we will not continue tolerating this any longer as it is not you the people of Linden who are suffering from the slow pace and actions of the commission but also many other ministries and agencies,” the local Government Minister said.

He pointed out that he has no issue with persons earning large salaries, stressing that once the work equate as to what they are doing and is done professionally and properly they should get it. However, he questioned if the taxpayers in Guyana are benefiting from the work and services being provided by the commission and its members. He declared that taxpayers can and would no longer undergo this level of inefficiency and ineffectiveness as the commission will have to enhance and improve their performance because as the subject minister, he will no longer be tolerating such. “The Local Government Commission has to work to enhance efficiency and I intend to ensure that they work together as long as I am the minister,” he said.

Responding to calls to move them out, the minister was quick to note that he has no such intentions. He stressed that their quality and level of work must seriously and immensely improve justifying what many of them are earning.

“We will not move them out but they must be more accountable and as the minister, this is what I will ensure happen,” he said.

He added that it appears that there is a director for everything at the commission as he is still at loss as to what the commission needs 48 employees when they are not producing at the level that they should and there continues to be a number of issues relating to how they work. “There seems to be a director for everything, and we cannot continue like this. As the minister there must and will be accountability because the public don’t want their tax dollars to be spent like this,” he declared.