Ministry of Local Government, Rodrigues and Outer Islands

The Ministry is responsible for local government administration coordination generally, with five Municipalities, four District Councils and 124 Village Councils. Over and above their own revenue-generating activities, central government grants are made to the local authorities to enable them to provide services and amenities at regional level. These include the provision of street-lighting, construction and maintenance of roads, drains and public spaces, provision and maintenance of bus shelters and traffic centres, organisation of sports and cultural activities, etc.

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Another important function of the Ministry concerns the responsibility for Solid Waste Management, including arrangements for the collection and safe disposal of solid waste, setting up and operation of waste disposal sites such as transfer stations and sanitary landfill, issue of waste carrier's licences, control of illegal dumping. This function also encompasses a statutory obligation to give effect to decisions taken by the National Environment Coordination Commission chaired by the Prime Minister and on which the Minister of Local Government sits personally.

In addition, the Ministry has general responsibility for the control and management of public beaches across the island. In this context, the Beach Authority, a parastatal body has been set up under the aegis of the Ministry to carry out specific functions such as the regulation of economic and socio-recreational activities on public beaches, the provision of amenities on and embellishment of public beaches and the implementation of measures for the safety of beach-users.

Other responsibilities of the Ministry include:

• monitoring of La Butte Landslide problem subsequent to the Rehabilitation Project;
• implementation of cyclone and other natural disaster programmes;
• providing guidelines for the disposal of hazardous wastes;
• taking appropriate action on complaints relating to the issue of trade licences, development and building permits by local authorities; solid waste collection and disposal and other environmental related matters; and
• carrying out minor upgrading and landscaping works across the island.

Our mission is:

• To ensure that Local Authorities adhere to the principles of good governance
• To empower and provide appropriate support to Local Authorities so as to enable them to manage the affairs of the local communities effectively and efficiently.
• To engage all stakeholders in local community affairs
• To protect the environment and human health through an effective and sustainable management of solid waste.

Vision:

• Our vision is to foster a vibrant local democracy; to promote effective, transparent and proactive delivery of services by Local Authorities; to bridge the development divide between rural and urban areas and to achieve the highest standards of cleanliness and sanitation in the country through sound and effective infrastructural and solid waste management policies and practices.