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GECOM should pronounce on readiness for Local Govt. Elections – Nagamootoo
The Alliance For Change (AFC) is insisting on an August 1 deadline for the holding of Local Government Elections.
According to AFC’s Vice Chairman, Moses Nagamootoo, there is nothing stopping the elections from going ahead in Districts that are demarcated already, and in Georgetown.
Nagamootoo’s urgings comes even as the Administration said that the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) is likely not ready for the polls.
AFC’s Vice Chairman, Moses Nagamootoo
With Local Government Elections last held in 1994, pressure has been mounting on Guyana to hold one as soon as possible. Recently, the west diplomats and several civil society organizations jointly called for elections by August 1st.
Nagamootoo, in an AFC statement, made it clear that it was the former PPP leader and President, Dr. Cheddi Jagan, who said that a number of Local Authorities exist illegally and are “squandering the people’s money. They are not accountable to anybody. Nobody knows what is going on with these Local Authorities. There are a lot of rackets going on and now they have wrecked everything.”
“Were he alive today, Cheddi Jagan would have castigated those who would shed crocodile tears for him and shout his name in vain, for not holding Local Government Elections over the 17 years since he has died.”
The AFC official said that the August 1st date was one approved by legislation in the National Assembly last month.
“The AFC commends the diplomatic community and civic/social organizations for their forthright position in support of holding these elections by August 1. Everywhere, from our cities to our villages, our communities are in shambles and suffer from gross neglect.”
Nagamootoo called on the Chairman of GECOM to pronounce on its readiness to hold the elections and warned about statements made by Attorney General, Anil Nandlall and Home Affairs Minister, Clement Rohee.
The Parliamentarian suggested that one way of conducting elections by August 1st is to start in existing NDCs, which need no further demarcation and in the towns, including Georgetown.
“We are against any political, bureaucratic and administrative humbugs that have jettisoned elections, due since 1997. AFC also wishes to use this occasion not only to urge early Local Government polls, but to complete the constitutional mandate for fully monitoring the integrity of persons in public life, by having a fully composed and functioning Integrity Commission.”
The MP insisted that the Executive is in breach of the Constitution that commands the establishment of a Public Procurement Commission.
“The Executive is in breach of the law that says that the role of Cabinet in procurement shall phase out after the establishment of the Public Procurement Commission. The PPP/C has for too long paid lip service to the need for good governance, with full accountability and transparency in Guyana, which is why the floodgates of corrupt practices have been open wide.”
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