– NDC Praised for Single-Window Success
In her ongoing mission to strengthen ties between the Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC), the community, and the government, Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Priya Manickchand, recently visited the Buxton/Foulis NDC.
During her visit, she commended the council and its dedicated staff for their outstanding work, highlighting their role in demonstrating that the single-window system can deliver real, tangible results for residents and ensuring that essential services effectively reach the people.
At the core of the NDC’s recent progress is the implementation of the single-window system, which streamlines the process for residents to submit housing applications.
Minister Manickchand noted that from January to the present, the system has processed 266 applications for residential single-family home extensions.
According to her this significant number indicates that hundreds of families within the district are actively building or expanding their homes, reflecting both community growth and improved access to essential services.
“This speaks to a whole set of things, including happier homes, more disposable income, and an easier system that they had to go through,” Minister Manickchand said.
“That’s not to say there aren’t improvements we can make, but we saw where the little gaps were, and we are working with housing to address those.”
Moreover, the Minister credited the staff of the NDC for being alert, proactive, and responsive to the needs of the community.
She specifically highlighted the contributions of Mr. O’Keefe Lewis, Public Health Officer for the district, who provided a practical demonstration of how the single-window system operates at the community level.
Minister Manickchand described him as a dedicated young professional who is committed to ensuring that residents fully benefit from the services available.
In addition, the NDC has been enhancing its help desk operations to better serve the community.
Unlike in some other councils where help desks primarily manage cash grants, the Buxton/Foulis NDC has expanded its role to address a broader range of queries from residents.
This approach, the Minister explained, is part of a wider effort to simplify and improve daily life for citizens by ensuring more accessible and efficient service delivery at the local level.
“This is an NDC where the single window is working, and so cheers to all of you,” the minister added.
“What we’ve got to do is make all NDCs work, because the intention of the president and the party in government is to make sure communities are beautified and residents’ lives are improved through services in education, health, infrastructure, agriculture, and every area.”
Furthermore, the visit underscored the government’s broader vision of strengthening local governance structures.
According to Minister Manickchand, the NDC serves as the first point of contact for the delivery of essential services to citizens.
As such, she emphasised that councils must be empowered, well-resourced, and responsive in order to effectively meet the needs of their communities.
Notably, at Buxton/Foulis, the active role of the NDC is demonstrating that when systems are well-managed, residents directly experience the benefits.
Families are obtaining approvals to build or expand their homes, the help desk is addressing a broader range of community concerns, and staff members are actively and consistently serving the public.
Finally, the Minister acknowledged that while some residents may highlight areas where improvements are still needed, the government remains firmly committed to addressing those gaps.
By identifying the “Xs and Ys and Zs” that require attention, Minister Manickchand noted that councils like Buxton/Foulis are well-positioned to continue improving and delivering more effective services to their communities.
