Over the last ten years there has been several Green Papers, White Papers, policy positions and decisions as well as Commission reports, all of which were directed at either reforming local government systems where they exist in the Caribbean, or moving the debate forward in terms of establishing forms of local government where such systems do not currently exist. Taking a point of departure that local government conjures the notion of people governing their local communities via participatory democracy, and thus is an integral component of facilitating good governance, this paper focuses on the cases of Trinidad, St.Lucia and St.Vincent. The paper seeks to assess and analyze the nature and level of democracy that is envisaged in these proposed reforms as well as in the policy statements emanating from central government leaders. In this regard the paper argues that the propositions to either reform or establish local government systems in these three countries, whilst laudable in advocating decentralization policies, do not adequately promote and facilitate democracy and good governance. The emphasis of these proposed reforms seem to be on local administration whilst paying, lip service to participatory democracy and good governance.

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