Local Government Ministry still focused on voter education

Apr 22, 2014 News

… No word on date for local polls
Minister within the Local Government Ministry, Norman Whittaker, has reiterated the government’s position on Local Government Elections, which according to him is to ensure that citizens are fully aware of the voting process before local polls could be held.

Local Government Minister Norman Whittaker

Minister Whittaker was unable to say, however, when local polls would be held and whether it is possible for August as requested by the opposition parties. He explained that the holding of local polls is a “political decision, but at our (government) level we are involved in voter education.”
The Minister told the media during a press briefing last week that the government continues to engage in preparedness which deals specifically with, voter education. “We believe, in fact we are firm, that we have a responsibility, a duty to educate our people and so we have been doing that.”
“We are mindful of the registration work being done by the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) and we are mindful also of other works, the fact that we have heard, – not that we have seen evidence of it-, that GECOM has been accelerating its preparedness,” the Minister said.
Minister Whittaker pointed out that he is not disputing the alleged preparedness work of GECOM, “but I have not seen what they are doing,” he told the media.
Minister Whittaker said that much time was spent engaging the Regional Executive Officers (REOs) and Deputy REOs to ensure that the various regions are prepared for elections. He explained also that a lot of time had been spent “preparing the budget and preparing to defend the budget estimates”, but greater numbers of persons are now available for more action to be taken, more frequently for increased voter preparedness.
Whittaker said that the Ministry workers have been engaging villagers. “We don’t ask which party you belong to, or whether you are interested in Local Government Elections, we do voter education in those areas,” he reiterated.
The Minister spoke on the four Local Government Bills; but was unable to say how soon Local Government polls could be held.
The government, led by the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) has already stated that it will not support the opposition’s request to hold Local Government Elections by August 1, 2014. The party’s General Secretary had told reporters months ago that the party could not agree with the opposition date for local polls because the power to decide the readiness for such elections resides with GECOM.
While Minister Whittaker urged that the decision to hold local polls is a political one and while the opposition parties have urged the Local Government Ministry to provide a date for the elections, Rohee had stated that GECOM is not ready to hold elections at the prescribed date.
The General Secretary had also pointed out that “the timing of the holding of local government elections is a function inter alia of the readiness of GECOM to execute the duties and the responsibilities relative to fair and efficient preparation and conduct of these elections, the readiness of other political parties, groups and individuals, people’s awareness, education and readiness to be part of this process.”
He too has failed however to even hint a possible holding of the “over-due” local government elections.