Hope for the future and expectations that tomorrow will be better than yesterday are all part of the natural optimism thatfills post-election Prince Alberters... including the Prince Albert Ratepayers’ & Residents’ Association (PARRA).

Shortly after the results of the recent Municipal Elections were announced it seemed likely that Goliath Lottering, leader of the Karoo Gemeenskap Party (KGP), would be heading up the new band of Prince Albert councillors. This prompted the Chairperson of the Association, Barbara Castle, to request a meeting with him at his earliest convenience. Bucking the usual trend, Lottering opted for a meeting that very Sunday afternoon at the offices of his Advies Kantoor, together with Isaak Windvogel, also of the KGP.

At the meeting Mr Lottering thanked Ms Castle for taking the time to meet on a Sunday and indicated that he was positive about the prospect of working with the PARRA. He made it clear that there could be a valuable exchange between the council and the people of this municipal district.

All of which is excellent news... leaving the Executive Committee of PARRA feeling that we are about to see a bright new day.

And, with an almost entirely new Municipal Council in place and sincere promises of an effective and transparent administration, we’re entitled to feel positive about the future of our municipality. Although there remains a hefty weight of unfinished business and matters still to be dealt with (some of which go back a year or more) the committee is confident that, with the current administration, these issues will be resolved within the next few months.

There are still concerns about municipal accounts, though fewer than before, and you are encouraged to approach the municipal officials concerned in order to rectify mistakes. This applies particularly to incorrect accounts being credited with payments, which can happen when properties are made up of several erven.

Although PARRA cannot undertake to deal with the individual concerns of its members it can, and does, act as an intermediary with the Municipality once all the usual channels have been exhausted. Members are encouraged to keep a ‘paper trail’ putting a complaint or query in writing, noting down times of phone calls, dates of visits to municipal offices, names of officials contacted, and making copies of letters received and sent. All of which carries far more weight than a mere verbal account... which is often difficult to prove.

We look forward, with a sense of real excitement, too supporting wise local governance, protection of the environment, responsible land development, acceptable rates’ increases, sensible spending of tax-payers’ money and the general well being of the town and its inhabitants.

To this end PARRA has paid for a year’s subscription of the Prince Albert Friend to be delivered to the soon-to-be-appointed Municipal Manager. Not only do we hope that this will be an ongoing perk of the job but we believe that it is one of the best ways of keeping in touch with the ebb and flow of life in the Prince Albert district.

PARRA Executive Committee