Government assistance is not something to become dependent on.

The Minister for Local Government, Housing, Community Development, Infrastructure and Transport Parveen Bala emphasised this while opening the amalgamation of Municipal Councils and Rural Local Authorities, Housing and Community Development

symposium.

“When and if Government assistance is made available, make sure that it is used as a means of enabling you as local government agencies to achieve the set tasks that come with this assistance,” Mr Bala said.

“The amalgamation is the outcome of a thorough analysis and policy research that blend with the constitution.

This incorporation will improve the economies of scale and realisation of consistency and efficiency in service delivery to our citizenry.

“The merger between municipal councils and the rural local authority services will allow for strengthening regional land use master planning including transport planning.”

More than 80 representatives from the municipal councils and Government officials attended the symposium where they discussed their everyday service delivery.

There will be discussions on the new initiatives, the new changes and community developments.

Mr Bala highlighted that in the first week of October, a joint programme would be launched between the Ministry of Local Government through municipal councils, Ministry of Waterways and Environment and the Ministry of Health and Medical Services.

This is to strengthen the Solid Waste Management services in the peri-urban areas.

The two-day symposium, which started yesterday at the Grand Pacifi c Hotel, ends today.

Edited by Percy Kean

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