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AFC says: Local Govt polls could be prelude to referendum

Mar 28, 2009 News

…Jagdeo could be seeking third term

The AFC has said that there has been talk the Local Government elections, which is scheduled to be held this year, may be held for the ulterior and sinister purpose of attaching a referendum to it for a Constitutional amendment for the presidential term limit to be abolished, as was recently the case in Venezuela.
AFC Leader, Raphael Trotman, during yesterday’s press conference said that Guyanese are aware that the constitution restricts any person from serving for more than two terms as President.
He noted that this, however, is only chatter but also noted that there has not been denial about the possibility of a referendum but denial about the possibility of a third term.
“There is nothing stopping this matter becoming a referendum issue at an election in the same way that the President denied that he was seeking a third term but it was introduced at the PPP’s last congress by Pandit Reepu Daman Persaud on the agenda.”
“As I said, it is chatter. We believe it is our responsibility to bring it to the attention of the people of Guyana. We have not commented on whether it was right or wrong. We will do so if it is pursued but certainly we believe that the time is right for it to be made public.”
Trotman stated that the AFC has always encouraged the holding of these elections, as they are an essential component of a democratic system, which is palpably absent in Guyana. He added that the Task Force on Local Government has failed to issue a report on its work but we are advised that draft legislation is in circulation and will be brought to the National Assembly shortly.
“The AFC believes that the context of this legislation should be fully set out and explained and that all proposed reforms should be presented as a package rather than in a piece-meal manner.”
According to him, the party is strong in its conviction that the holding of local government elections in the absence of meaningful reforms that will devolve power and authority to the people, would only result in another meaningless exercise and be a waste of scarce tax payers’ money.

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