SECTION 73

(1) Under the authority of the President of the Republic, the minister in charge of local authorities and the representative of the State in the local authority shall exercise State control over local authorities and their establishments. (2) The control powers referred to in sub-section (1) above shall be exercised to the exclusion of any assessment of timeliness and subject to the cases provided for in Section 77 below. (3) The Governor, appointed by decree of the President of the Republic, shall be the representative of the State in the region. In this capacity, he shall be responsible for national interests, administrative control, ensuring compliance with laws and regulations, as well as maintaining law and order. He shall, under the authority of the Government, supervise and co-ordinate civil State services in the region. (4) He shall exercise the supervisory authority of the State over the region. (5) The Senior Divisional Officer shall be the representative of the State in the council. In this capacity, he shall be responsible for national interests, ensuring compliance with laws and regulations, as well as maintaining law and order. (6) As representatives of the President of the Republic, the Government and each of the ministers, the Governor and the Senior Divisional Officer shall be the only authorities empowered to speak on behalf of the State before the deliberative organs of local authorities, council unions and management bodies of establishments of local authorities. II – Control Mechanism