The Central Eleuthera District Council is focused on bringing government closer to the people, ensuring good representation and service delivery, says, Mrs. Shauna Nairn Knowles, new District Chief Councilor, and Town Chairman of the Governor’s Harbour township.
In an interview, during the final week in April, Mrs. Knowles, accompanied by Administrator for Central Eleuthera, Ms. Rochelle Anderson, shared their concerted goal of making sure that people were well represented at the local government level, and received a high standard of service, saying, “The aim, the mandate is that we ensure that persons here get not only good representation from whoever the MPS are, or the ministers are, but also from their elected board and committee members here. So, that’s ensuring that if they want to get their house plans, their permits done, their franchise licenses etc., they can do so. That’s all under [local government] because those boards are appointed under council.” The four statutory boards include road traffic, town planning, hotel licensing and port authority.
Unfettered access to these essential services is a key mandate of the local government district council, explained Administrator Anderson, and she encouraged residents to reach out to their local representatives if they had the need, saying, “They can call on the chief councilor and she’s available. They can call the town chairman, that person is available. They can call on the administrator who works in collaboration with the council. So you have two main persons – the administrator and the chief councilor in any district [who are available to assist].”
The local government district council, and the township councils have also discussed plans for their areas in the upcoming year, with several projects across the six Central Eleuthera townships [Savannah Sound, Palmetto Point, Governor’s Harbour, James’ Cistern, Hatchet Bay, and Gregory Town], which will be worked on. These include revamping recreational areas and clean up campaigns. An initiative called ‘Safe Streets’ in partnership with the Ministry of Works is another key focus of the district council, with plans to improve road signage and safety features across the townships.
A significant aspect of their strategy, shared Ms. Anderson and Mrs. Knowles, involves fostering public-private partnerships, empowering the council to engage with community members, second homeowners, and business owners who are willing to contribute resources and expertise.
Administrator Anderson, relating an overview of some of the projects and improvements planned for the various townships within the Central Eleuthera District, began in Governor’s Harbour – outlining their plans to establish a community center aimed at providing a safe space for young people, facilities for educational support and various community activities. Approval has also been received for complete renovation of the administrative building, confirmed the administrator, which has faced issues like mold and insufficient space.
In Palmetto Point, the township committee is organizing the homecoming event [which takes place during the Labour Day/Whit Monday holiday weekend in June], with funds directed toward building a new bathroom facility in Twin City Park playground. A clean up campaign was also set to take place in mid-May, involving the removal of garbage and derelict vehicles, as well as improving public facilities like the bathroom at the dock. Plans are also afoot to reconstruct the southside dock, where the homecoming event is held, to enhance safety and revitalize functionality.
Hatchet Bay looks to focus on repairing and enhancing the basketball court and ensuring the area is well-signposted for safety. Similar to other townships, a clean-up campaign is planned to improve the general environment. In James’ Cistern their is continued concern about safety along the main road with requests for better signage, and ‘more’ speed bumps. There is also emphasis on community upkeep, with assigned individuals helping maintain cleanliness. In Gregory Town, a contractor has been hired to ensure regular clean-ups on the roads and public spaces to maintain an immaculate environment. The focus is also on community engagement – building relationships and maintaining communication between residents and local council members. In Savannah Sound there have been regular assessments of the drainage system to ensure proper functionality, with plans for ongoing maintenance, and work is underway to improve street lighting and other infrastructure. Governor’s Harbour also has a goal to bring back the ‘Regatta’ and the ‘Back to the Cay’ events.
Budget constraints for both district and township councils are a significant challenge, with townships receiving limited monthly remittances. The District Council relies on a larger portion of funds to cover essential services like garbage collection. To address financial limitations, the council is actively pursuing fundraising events and private donations.
Ensuring transparency and accountability in managing these funds is vital, said Administrator Anderson, explaining some of the built-in checks and balances, in the new local government act – like secondary approvals of fund-raising ventures by councils through the central government/minister, as well as a single financial account on island, through which all local government funds are managed for accountability – rather than multiple accounts, managed by each township.
