PNCR still undecided on participation in Local Government Elections

Aug 30, 2008 News

…position unchanged on credibility of voters’ list -Williams

By Gary Eleazar
The participation of the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) in Local Government Elections is unclear at this time, as the party’s position remains unchanged on the credibility of the voters’ list that is being compiled from the recently concluded house-to-house registration process.
This is according to PNCR Vice Chairman and Member of Parliament, Basil Williams who said that the party’s position will remain consistent with its previous stance.
As it relates to how that will factor into the party’s participation in the elections, Williams noted that it was too early to say.
During the second half of the registration process the PNCR’s scrutineers were unable at times to do their job, reportedly due to issues of non-payment of their stipends.
The party has since then said that given that it was unable to complete the process then the document’s credibility would be in question.
The Alliance For Change had also questioned the credibility of the list earlier in the year.
The party’s Leader Raphael Trotman had said that the National Voters’ Registration Database or voters’ list was being prepared at times without scrutineers, given that they have not been paid, and his party reserved the right to challenge the authenticity of the list.
“The absence of scrutineers diminishes the integrity of the list,” said Khemraj Ramjattan, the party’s Chairman.
Local Government Elections may still be possible by the end of the year, despite the fact that the legislation necessary for the process has still not been tabled in the National Assembly.
This was the view of Head of the Presidential Secretariat, Dr Roger Luncheon, who said recently that, based on the knowledge at hand, the task force responsible for reviewing the necessary pieces of legislation has completed its job of drafting the necessary laws.
One such piece of legislation addresses the Municipal Bill; another deals with the Local Government Commission Bill; and yet another brings the focus on the Local Authority Election (Amendment) Bill. There is also a piece of legislation on fiscal transfers.
According to Dr Luncheon, one of the Bills, namely the Local Authority Election (Amendment) Bill, “May have been completed.”
He did note that the work of the task force was continuing and that there was no doubt that it would be able to discharge its responsibility and allow for elections in 2008.
Dr Luncheon emphasised that the work of the task force was not the only factor that would influence the likelihood of a 2008 elections.
Local Government elections have not been held in Guyana since 1994.
Earlier in the year, the Guyana Elections Commission commenced a house-to-house registration exercise that was born out of the need for the creation of an indisputable National Register of Registrants’ Database (NRRDB) which will be used as the basis for the preparation of electoral lists that would be commonly acceptable by all stakeholders as being unblemished.
The Government, GECOM and the Parliamentary political parties, on June 14, 2007, had agreed to the preparation of a new NRRDB by house-to-house registration.
“It is the expectation of GECOM, therefore, that the primary outcome of the exercise will be the creation of a pure and current NRRDB which would be perpetually updated and purified through future cycles of continuous registration and their respective concomitant claims and objections exercises…This would inevitably lead to the preparation of future electoral lists that would be commonly acceptable by and among all political parties and other stakeholders.”
GECOM registered some 430,000 persons during the house-to-house registration, which came to an end on July 4 last. GECOM was hoping to register some 535,000 persons.
Chairman of the Elections Commission, Dr. Steve Surujbally, told this newspaper that the commission took the official list of electors from the 2006 elections and added 20 per cent to it, which gave them the figure (535,000).
However, according to Dr. Surujbally, only 69 per cent of the voters from the last elections turned up to vote, and this was closer to the true number of voters in Guyana.

Latest News

PNCR still undecided on participation in Local Government Elections

Related

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show | December, 2nd, 2024

Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

THE BLUNT OF THE DAY

Sports

Team Guyana ready to take on Haiti and Cayman Islands FIBA 3×3...

Timehri Hustlers dispatch Tiger Bay as Gold is...

Windies Masters announce squad for Americas Cup

Stormy Victory, Morning Colors stepping up for...

Region 7 Edition of CNOOC Petroleum Guyana...

Vergenoegen Secondary sweeps Region Three...

Features/Columnists

Raises and Recognition

High-Stakes Bid for OAS Secretary General post

Laws and boards

Publisher’s Note

Weekend Cartoon

Bridge Watch

Demerara Harbour Bridge

> Berbice Bridge […]

PNCR still undecided on participation in Local Government Elections

Share this:

Related

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show | December, 2nd, 2024

Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

THE BLUNT OF THE DAY

Sports

Features/Columnists

Publisher’s Note

Weekend Cartoon

Bridge Watch

Demerara Harbour Bridge

> Berbice Bridge […]