Local Govt Elections unlikely this year

Jun 03, 2014 News

…Opposition still holding out for August 1

With the way in which the current situation is prevailing, it is highly unlikely that Guyana will have Local Government Elections this year possibly adding another year to the 20 years that such an election has been held in Guyana.

Leader of APNU
David Granger

The reason for such an assertion is that the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) the body responsible for ensuring that Local Government Elections and National Elections are held; has indicated that it will need six months in order to properly prepare for the holding of local government elections, we are currently in the month of June leaving only six more months before the year is finished and if the government does not signal its intention very soon to hold LGE then GECOM would not be able to prepare for LGE within the allocated time span.
The six-month period is needed by GECOM to among other things, provide voter education for persons throughout the length and breadth of Guyana so that they would know what is required by them for such a process, more so, since a new system was put in place in 2009 after the government and opposition came to a consensus in Parliament. This campaign can only start with the go ahead of the government of the day.
Legislature
An Amended Bill was passed in the National Assembly for the holding of LGE on August 1, next. The opposition coalition, a Partnership for National Unity (APNU) is sticking to the August 1, 2014 date.
However, Government has since said that the deadline cannot be met since there are a number of complex issues in addition to the preparedness of GECOM for the holding of elections on such a date.
GECOM had previously announced its readiness to start its run up to the elections should the government indicate its readiness to them.
Attempts to contact Minister of Local Government and Regional Development Norman Whittaker to ascertain how Government is moving forward on this matter were unsuccessful.
However General Secretary of the Peoples Progressive Party (PPP), Clement Rohee, said that his party is ready for the holding of LGE.
When asked why then has LGE not been called since his party and GECOM are ready he said, “It is a question of timing, a judgment call and what is the mood on the ground.
“The party may be ready as a party…but it doesn’t mean to say that we are an electioneering party. We have to take timing and the mood of the people. It’s a judgment call and these are senses which politicians are usually attuned to before making such a call.”

General Secretary of the PPP Clement Rohee

When asked if the population is looking forward to LGE taking into account that there has been no LGE for 20 years, Rohee said there is a growing mood in the direction of holding LGE and National Elections but based on the persons whom he has spoken to, they have said that holding LGE would not solve the problems.
According to Rohee, “More and more people are of the view that we need to solve the bigger issues…The people know that these big issues will determine a lot for them…
Leader of APNU Brig. David Granger said that “as things stand the National Assembly has given notice that it wants to have Local Government Elections by August 1.
“The Executive branch of the Government must pay attention to what the legislative branch says. At the time that the Bill was passed there was adequate time for government to give notice for preparations to begin and it is not GECOM’s fault it is the Executive’s fault, they had enough time.”
“We are making preparations and the government will hear from us if they change the date of the National Assembly’s Bill…The government has an obligation to plan and provide resources in accordance with the decisions of the National Assembly.
“The Executive must learn to pay attention to the wishes of the Legislative branch; there is no other way a county could run.”
The General Secretary, responding to the opposition’s position of August 1, as set by the Legislature said, however, “That is what they would like to have.”
Of recent there has been a call by many within the Diaspora, the country and the public and private executives internationally for the holding of LGE soon within Guyana.
Canada’s High Commissioner to Guyana, Dr. Nicole Giles, recently spoke about the need for bigger strides to be taken, particularly in the direction of local government elections.
She saw the need for proper systems and structures to be put in place so that the country can be positively developed.