How can we be sure we have the right mayor?

The campaign for the election of the mayor of Antananarivo on 12th of December kicked off yesterday colorfully. Indeed, it is nice to ascertain how the candidates are this time around doing it in a professional manner. Every one has the freedom to choose but I just hope my fellow citizens would go to the root why he would vote for one candidate but not just because he is good looking or he is distributing t-shirts and so on.

I was astounded yesterday to hear a high-ranking official saying that the mayor has to work closely with the government to avoid that the city becomes like a garbage (in reference to what happened to the city of Tamatave whose mayor used to be an opponent); in fact, he was trying to imply that he has to be from the political party of the president to ensure that he receives full back up of the government. How can that be possibly true? If my memory is good, Paris is still the most beautiful city in the world, one of the most visited spot on earth, and the advances of the subway network is one of the best examples in the world; and yet Sarkozy, the president, is from the right wing and the Delanoe, the mayor, is from the left wing. We should all open our eyes and realize that development of our own city depends on the will of everyone, we should go beyond politics. It does not matter who is elected as long as the population voted for him and even the government in place has to respect that.

Each of us, as seen on the interviews of the population on TV, seems to think that the main responsibility of the mayor is to change the face of the city and make it more beautiful, let me give you something I found out on the net.

The modern Mayor in addition to civic and ceremonial responsibilities now has an ambassadorial role as first citizen of the borough. Responsibilities include:

• to reduce crime rate and ensure that the employment sector is doing well








• to preside over meetings of the Council so that its business can be carried out efficiently and with regard to the rights of councillors and the interests of the community








• to ensure that the council meeting is a forum for the debate of matters of concern to the local community and the place at which members who are not on the Executive are able to hold the Executive to account








• to promote public involvement in the council’s activities








• to attend such civic and ceremonial functions as the Council and the Mayor determines is appropriate








• to act as the representative of the area (ie ambassadorial role) both inside and outside the Borough and to promote it locally, nationally and internationally








• to participate in, and help initiate, activities that enhance the economic, social, cultural and environmental well-being of the Borough and its residents








• to promote, liaise and link with private and voluntary sector organizations in the Borough.








• to act as an advocate of a local society

Something for us to chew and to digest…