Trinidad’s local elections can sometimes be useful as a litmus test to measure the political morals for upcoming General Elections. In reality, the local electorate does not have any real political or economic power as the local electorate in the United States of America.
The colonial British had set upwards in Trinidad had a lot of power than the local Mayors in Trinidad. Today the dilemma with the opposition-dominated local electorate is that their budget is dependent on the ruling party in the central government. And often the central ruling party can dominate laws and development in opposition communities through the Minister of Local Government.
In the USA, the Mayors and County executives have the power in the electorate to control their own budget by taxes and them can pass Laws, hire their own Police Force and control developments in their communities without central government interference. Although, in the USA pertaining to National interests the Central Government [ Federal Government] can win by the means of the courts.
All political parties and the people of Trinidad should canvas against BIG Government in their local community affairs and agitate for decentralized government in Trinidad to ensure the local electorates do not fall prey to the elected party of the Central Government.
Note: Given the results of December 2nd 2019 of Trinidad’s local elections with the UNC winning the popular votes had this election been conducted within a Proportional Representation System [ PR] in a General Elections the UNC would have taken control of the Central Government. Something to think of.
