Latest update April 14th, 2026 12:38 AM
Political parties should not contest local elections
Dear Editor,
Here is my brief response to a letter that was published in Kaieteur News of November 25, 2015 under the caption, “PPP, APNU AND AFC are on the same political page”. Your letter- writer praised the coalition government for keeping its promise on holding local government elections. However, he went on to lament that they have failed to reform the local government structure not taking into consideration that such profound alterations ought to be done in collaboration with the PPPC. Let me take this opportunity to remind the writer as he pretends not to know, that when the Local Government Elections are held in 2016 it will be doing so with a number of wide ranging changes in the system that were achieved without the support of the PPPC in Parliament.
My main concern however, is with this aspect of his letter, “…And the APNU+AFC politicians have not exhibited much interest in empowering local bodies. Moses Nagamootoo spoke the language of local empowerment when he served briefly as Local Government Minister. He may be the only politician in the ruling coalition who has some genuine interest in local government reform……..” I am in no position or have any interest in challenging this view of Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo’s historic or present position on local democracy.
However, I feel moved to remind readers and the nation that the WPA, over two decades ago, was the first major party at the time to call for fundamental changes in the local government structure, and stated that political parties should not contest local elections. Our position remains unchanged. Since the WPA is an integral part of the APNU and the Government we will be supportive of the collective decision on this matter.
TacumaOgunseye
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