24
Declining State of Democratic Institutions and the Implications for Governance
defending and protecting what they have come to understand as good
governance. In the case of authoritarian power grabs from the central
government – a community content with its local leaders will defend
them. And in the case of corruption and abuse of power, citizens who
are accustomed to a responsive local government will feel empowered
to seek a change in their leaders in order to return the situation to
where it was during a good government.
There are many mechanisms to inform individuals of the activities
of local government. In Venezuela, the municipal government of
Baruta held citizen’s assemblies in the
barrios
to discuss issues. Local
government staff and office directors explained the purpose of proposed
interventions to community representatives. For example, with the
creation of nurseries for working single mothers, the office director
for children and families held assemblies in the areas around where a
nursery was to be set up and explained the role of the community and
the community’s required contribution to the initiative.
In Guatemala, IRI supported the production of print materials and
television programs for the municipal governments of San Cristobal
Totonicapán, Cantel, El Palmar and San Cristobal Acasaguastlan.
These products succinctly demonstrated to citizens the status of
ongoing projects, activities that were completed and important
upcoming issues to ensure communities were better informed. In
San Cristobal Totonicapán, this included a bi-weekly television show
where the mayor addressed the municipality and issued progress
reports and then fielded telephone calls from citizens with questions
or comments. In Cantel, this included the development of a website
for the municipal government where information is made available
to citizens. In Acasaguastlan, the municipal government developed
a monthly newsletter which was distributed widely informing the
residents of government activities.
InNicaragua, IRI is assistingwith the setupof independent radio stations
for use of the community – including the mayors – to disseminate
information and updates on the activity of the municipality.
