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CHANGE OF STRATEGIES LIKELY IF GOVT. LOSES LGE

Mar 14, 2016 Editorial

Local Government Elections (LGE) are a week away, and there is no indication which of the two main parties and the several local and regional parties will win the elections. There have been hardly any polls conducted or predictions by the media. But for all intents and purposes, there may not be an outright winner.
There is also no indication what the voter turnout might be. Traditionally, in Guyana and in other parts of the world, voter turnout in LGE is usually low. In New York and several other cities in the United States, the average voter turnout for LGE elections is between 24 percent and 30 percent. The same is true of Canada.
The reason is that LGE are not treated with the same level of importance and urgency as Regional and National Elections. The absence of LGE for the 22 years could also be another reason for low voter turnout. Furthermore, the less than 50 percent voter turnout among the disciplined forces on Tuesday March 8, 2016 provided a kind of litmus test as to what can be expected.
TheLGE has a complicated and perhaps confusing voting system comprised of first past the post and proportional representation. Its 71 local authority areas include 62 Neighborhood Democratic Councils (NDCs) and nine Municipalities—Corriverton, Rose Hall Town, New Amsterdam, Georgetown, Linden, Bartica, Lethem, Anna Regina and Mabaruma combined for a total of 580 constituencies. Of the 580 constituencies, 149 across Regions 2,3,4,5 and 6 are not being contested which means that one party will win most of them.
However, it would be wise for the majority of Guyanese electorate to vote on March 18, 2016, since LGE are an integral part of the democratic process of the State. During the absence of LGE there was no real democracy because there was no democratic renewal at the grassroots level which was much needed in Guyana. This is a pivotal time in the country’s history, because since 1994, Guyanese did not have the opportunity to cast a ballot in LGE. The 2016 LGE will go down in history as a momentous moment as Guyanese took power into their own hands. It will be the moment for the citizens to take control of their own destinies.
Those who do not vote will have to accept the community representatives chosen by those who vote. And they would have little or no say in the decision-making process.It is very important for residents to have a voice in decisions that directly affect them at the local level.
Unlike the National Elections, locally elected politicians will make decisions on what bridges and roads to repair or build; they will decide where playgrounds are to be constructed; and would determine who will be responsible for garbage collection, cleaning of drains and parapets, provision of healthcare services, pest control, noise-nuisance control and all other aspects of community life.
Not only will the government be embarrassed with a loss, but it will have to go back to the drawing board and reconstitute its entire party strategies and apparatus. The President will be under severe pressure from party members to make drastic changes in policy and manpower.
And no one in the government can deny the fact that mistakes were made in the past nine months and that some ministries, including Agriculture, Health, Education, Housing and Public Security are not performing effectively. However, losing the
LGE should provide the government with the opportunity to change strategies and put the right team in place to move the country forward and provide a better life for all. It has to stop presenting half-baked plans or strategies with absolutely no goals.

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