Government’s comment about LGE “bizarre”- Granger

Sep 18, 2014 News

With the Government’s main spokesperson, Dr. Roger Luncheon, stating that it isn’t “logical” for the holding of Local Government and General Elections at the same time, Opposition Leader David Granger told Kaieteur News yesterday that the comments are rather bizarre.
Granger had written to the President last week urging him to announce a date for the long overdue LGE by September 15. He threatened that if this was not done he would mobilize local, national and international support “in defence of democracy.”
According to Granger it’s a “bizarre” statement for Luncheon to make. Granger, who spoke with Kaieteur News yesterday, said that it really makes you think why a government would hold off from keeping Local Governments after 17 years. “I don’t know where in the world the President and the Cabinet Secretary would deny the people of a country of their constitutional right of Local Government,” Granger told Kaieteur News.
“Can he postpone General Elections for 17 years…it’s idiotic,” Granger stated. He insisted that it has to be brought to an end. The opposition leader has maintained that Local Government elections are a constitutional and democratic entitlement of the Guyanese people.
Meanwhile, the Cabinet Secretary yesterday restated that President Donald Ramotar’s request for clarity from the Opposition Leader to a letter which was sent last week.
Luncheon insisted, yesterday, that both cannot be executed at the same time. Luncheon said that Cabinet now awaits Granger’s response to the President’s request for clarity, since it appears APNU intends to have their cake and eat it.
Pressure has been piling up for the Guyana government to hold local government elections. The three main Embassies here in Guyana, namely the United States of America, Canada and the British High Commission have all signaled their growing unhappiness over the current situation.
An earlier joint statement had said that everything seems to be in place for votes to be cast as early as August 1, the strong statement said.
The British High Commission, Embassy of the United States of America and the High Commission of Canada, have made it clear that with new laws in place and the elections machinery ready, August 1 had seemed to be a very possible time.
“The political parties have reaffirmed their desire to hold local elections and are making campaign preparations. It is therefore our hope, as the PPP/C, APNU, and AFC pledged in their 2011 election manifestos, that local government elections will be held…”
The Berbice Chamber of Commerce along with the Consultative Association of Guyanese Industry, Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry; Guyana Association of Women Lawyers; Guyana Bar Association, Guyana Manufacturing and Service Association, Guyana Trades Union Congress, Justice Institute, Private Sector Commission and the Transparency Institute Guyana Inc have all endorsed the call for LGE.
With many of the 65 Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs) replaced by Interim Management Committees after members either died or passed away, the absence of elections because of a political agreement for reforms has led to an intolerable situation.
Corruption and mismanagement have been blamed on the breakdown in infrastructure with garbage and rates and taxes collection highly criticized.

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Government’s comment about LGE “bizarre”- Granger

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