There will be no more secrets surrounding construction projects or delays in school reopening once legislation for local government reform is approved next year.
This was the view shared by Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley and Local Government Minister Franklin Khan.
The two were speaking at the first public consultation on local government reform at an overcrowded San Fernando City Hall on Wednesday night.
Instead, Rowley and Khan promised greater accountability from the 14 regional corporations.
He added: "We intend to give you some greater responsibility with respect to granting of approvals in your corporation.
"Somebody wants to build a three-storey building next to an area where it shouldn't be built, that decision should be made at council and you the burgesses can come to council at the appropriate time because there will be a requirement that you do this.
"No secrets, if it has to be done under law, it has to be brought in front of you and if you are concerned about whatever it is, you come to council, stand up in council and express yourself to the council. If you are sufficiently opposed to it, your mobilise your community and you say to the council, that we're not going to have this. That is where you keep control of the situation and that is empowering citizens."
Rowley told San Fernando residents these changes could mean an improvement in citizens' lives that could make other countries envious of T&T.
He promised that even if the ministers responsible for the devolution of the Local Government Ministry faltered, he would ensure that it happens.
He said while the People's National Movement (PNM), the National Alliance for Reconstruction (NAR) and the United National Congress (UNC) governments had procrastinated this reform, his Government would fulfill its manifesto.
"One thing I can tell you without fear of contradiction is that there is a government in office, which is sure that its manifesto pledge will be met. We put it in our manifesto and in this term of office, we will bring about significant local government reform.
"Certainly there will be a document coming out and there will be consultations so at the end of the day, we will decide what we are going to do and we will do it because we are sure there are benefits to be had.
He said the objective was to improve the quality life, to improve the nation's management systems and improve the ability to get the best that the nation holds.
Rowley said there was the potential for people to have a good quality of life and to become the envy of a large section of the world in the 21st century.
He said the two main objectives of local government reform sought to give citizens greater authority to manage their affairs at the local level and provide clarity on the various roles and responsibilities of public officials.
This, he said, would provide more accountability.
Khan said some of Government's suggestions were to have regional corporations maintain schools and tourism sites, and provide social welfare.
He said this will create a multiplier effect as the corporations would be mandated to hire local contractors who will in turn hire workers from their communities.
He said Government plans to recruit 1,400 new municipal police officers, 100 for each regional corporation. Funding for these new functions will come from the taxes that the corporations will now have the responsibility of collecting and using for the development of the regions.
He said that citizens' views were also important on determining whether there should be more or less regional corporations.
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The reform of the local government system to operate more like the Tobago House of Assembly is one of the election promises of the People's National Movement.
The consultation was the first of 15 sessions to be carried out by the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development. Consultations will be held in each of the 14 regional corporations in Trinidad while the 15th will be hosted by the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) in Tobago. The purpose of the consultations are to gather public views to include in draft legislation that will be taken to Parliament, with a view of amending several acts of the Constitution that to give greater autonomy and responsibilities to local government.