Can newly created town councils like Manafwa direct developments in their areas of jurisdiction by using the law alone, most especially the enforcement of building codes and public health and safety regulations? Am a development economist and I have participated in practically all development agendas under this Government. Those who had businesses in the 90s will agree with me on the difficulties of obtaining a trade license from urban authorities. It had to take intervention of a few innovative young men under a UNIDO program to propose to the Government for the liberalization of this licensing regimes. Then a license was listed as regulatory instrument and most people opposed to any changes even when it was being used simply to collect revenue for the local authorities. Our argument was that you can collect revenue from business without having to burden them cumbersome procedures. We coined the word facilitation as opposed to enforcement. Today a license is merely a revenue instrument for the local authorities and not a regulatory as it was purported to be and local authorities are getting more revenue since businesses are no longer hiding because of procedure. What this suggests is that some of the laws though good were made with different circumstances in mind. Time has come for us to think of innovative means of ensuring the same ideals that the laws do prescribe without encumbering ability of local investors in these areas. Infact what local authorities should be doing is wooing investors with attractive investment packages. It beats me to see an area which has; -no industry in the area in-spite of abundant resources - inadequate housing even for ordinary citizens and hence forces all District heads to aboard in Mbale -Very low social indicators -poor roads, health and sanitation facilities -No running water prioritizes its development agenda on enforcement of regulations. This is an outmoded development management style. Today we talk of facilitation and providing a conducive environment for development and not mere enforcement. Incidentally some of these regulations and development are not mutually exclusive. We can facilitate while at the same time ensure meaningful standards are met. This is what draws a good development oriented public manager away from the pack. When are we going to see changes in attitudes in our localities? have we demanded it and shouldnt we have it on agenda now? If you agree with me lets call our leaders to task , let them explain what they can do are doing to improve the socioeconomic situation in our areas.
Posted on: Tue, 21 Oct 2014 11:38:59 +0000