Equality yes, but no equity

THE EDITOR: I am happy that each of the 14 municipal corporations now have access to $1 million to assist in providing critical services such as truck-borne water, more frequent public sanitisation exercises, additional PPE (personal protective equipment) for staff, and humanitarian aid to burgesses.

However, there is one concern as a result of this decision. Equality, great! All will get to use $1 million. But $1 million does not show equity.

Let’s look at it from this standpoint. The Point Fortin Regional Corporation has six electoral districts and 16,811 eligible voters based on the EBC’s 2016 local government election results.

At the other end the Couva/Tabaquite/Talparo Regional Corporation has 14 electoral districts with 146,950 eligible voters.

The Tunapuna/Piarco and San Juan/Laventille corporations (both having over 130,000 eligible voters) also have 14 districts.

Based on this it is clear that the burgesses from the corporations with more electoral districts and more people will not be treated as those in Point Fortin, Arima (seven districts with 28,960 eligible voters) or even Chaguanas (eight districts with 66,805 eligible voters).

While each corporation got the same amount of money, some will be able to reach more people than others. What should it have been, equality or equity?

The number of people living in these areas is higher than the figures provided as they only take into account those eligible to vote and not children or migrates.

KR NANAN

via e-mail