By IANTHIA SMITH, Guardian Staff Reporter, ianthia@nasguard.com

The Ingraham administration is gearing up to introduce a new arm of government to New Providence.

Minister of Lands and Local Government Sidney Collie said in a press release that his ministry is now making the necessary preparations to separate central government from the local government in the capital. Minister Collie attended a conference in India last week where he sought to come up with ways to improve the operations of local government on the Family Islands and find news ways to introduce it to New Providence. As outlined in Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham's 2007 manifesto, the government is on a mission to further empower this arm of the government throughout the Family Islands, and to introduce an elected local government to the nation's capital.

"The conference provided a platform for all of us, my colleagues from other Commonwealth countries and other practitioners, to share with Indian urban sector stakeholders our shared experiences, challenges, expertise and to hear about their challenges, expertise, best practices and success stories," he said.

This arm of the central government was introduced back in 1996, where the system of elected local government representation was introduced in the Family Islands via the Local Government Act. Prior to that, the Family Islands were administered by the Family Island Commissioners, who carried out multiple functions on behalf of the central government. Local government, when it is introduced in New Providence, would operate along similar lines as it does in the Family Islands.

Legislative matters will still be the obligation of the central government, but the carrying out of those policies of the government will be done by a small group of councilmen and women strategically placed in New Providence, which would have to be divided into districts.

There has been countless debates and arguments over the local government issue, as many Bahamians claimed that the central government failed to relinquish its power to the elected members of the local government.

That's why one Family Island administrator said that the government ought to initially invest in a rigorous educational program, that would explain to Nassauvians what local government is all about.

Administrator for the Cooper's Town district in Abaco, Theophilus Cox said a lot of Bahamians don't understand exactly what this arm of the government is, and blindly get involved.

"A lot of people think there's money in it and don't realize that it's more about giving service to your country," Cox said. "The people who live in various communities know best what's needed in that area, but in order for them to do what's needed, they have to know what they're doing."

He added that local government is something that the capital needs but in order for it to work, he pointed out that responsibilities need to be clearly outlined and defined, otherwise, "this could turn out to be a serious situation."

For years, the implementation of the local government has been criticized by politicians and civilians alike, citing that it was being used as a political football. But successive governments insist that local government is up and running and very much needed in the capital, because since two-thirds of Bahamians live in New Providence, it will give residents the opportunity to have a direct involvement in the decision-making process on issues affecting their communities.