Page:British and Foreign State Papers, vol. 144 (1952).djvu/363

 return to the Municipality the principal invested. Municipalities shall proceed to execute the plan which they approve, obligatorily including in their budgets, out of regular revenues, the amounts necessary for that purpose, which cannot be less than the cost of one house in each fiscal period, or resorting to the means offered them by the Constitution to effect works of this nature, in case their regular revenues are not sufficient for the purpose.

There shall likewise be a Commission on Local Roads, which shall be obligated to plan, construct and maintain those which, according to a plan and regimen previously resolved. upon, favour the exploitation, transportation and distribution of the products.

216. The urbanisation of hamlets or inhabited sections contiguous to the bateys of sugar mills or any other agricultural or industrial exploitation of analogous nature shall be determined by law.

217. As guarantee of municipal autonomy, the following is established:

(a) No local government official can be suspended or removed by the President of the Republic, the Governor of the Province, or any other governmental authority.

Only the courts can resolve on the suspension or removal from office of local government officials, by means of summary proceedings handled in accordance with law, without prejudice to what it directs as to recall.

Neither can any of the functions proper to their office be interfered with by other officers or authorities, except as to the faculties granted by the Constitution to the Tribunal of Accounts.

(b) Resolutions of the Municipal Council or the Commission or decrees of the Mayor or any other municipal authority cannot be suspended by the President of the Republic, the Governor of the Province, or any other governmental authority.

The said resolutions or decrees can be impugned by the governmental authorities, when they deem them unlawful, only before the courts, which shall be the only ones competent to declare, by means of the summary proceedings established by law, whether or not the municipal bodies or