Qualification to be elected as councillors

Nov 27, 2022 News

Local Govt Elections…

Kaieteur News – With the Local Government Election (LGE) slated to take place next year, this newspaper is seeking to highlight essential components related to these elections, in an effort to create awareness within and among the Guyanese electorate. This week, Kaieteur News will highlight the necessary qualifications of a Councillor or a candidate in the LGE.

Councillors in a meeting.

A Councillor is a member of the municipality or Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) who is among a team of other elected representatives.

These teams have the responsibility of making policy decisions and providing directions for the effective and efficient functioning of the municipalities for which they are responsible.

According to the information posted on the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) website, a person can qualify to be elected as a Councillor for a Local Authority Area if he/she is registered to vote and is a resident in the Local Authority Area/Constituency in which he/she is seeking election.

The information also outlined those persons who are not qualified to be candidates for LGE.

The website states that a person cannot qualify to be elected as a Councillor, and if elected, cannot hold or continue in office:

If he/she is the holder of or is acting in an office specified in the Schedule e.g. Member of the National Assembly, Member of the Police Force/Guyana Defence Force, Judge, Magistrate, Local Government Officer, Ombudsman, Director of Public Prosecutions, Election Officer, Registration Officer etc.
Has within 12 months before Election Day received any assistance under the Poor Relief Act.
Has within 5 years before Election Day been surcharged to an amount exceeding $1000 dollars or is serving a sentence of imprisonment.
Has been disqualified from holding office as a Councillor.
Has within 5 years prior to Election Day, been convicted of a corrupt or illegal practice?
Is unable to read or write the English Language.
Has consented to the inclusion of his name on a List of Candidates for another Local Authority Area/Constituency.

Another important component of the LGE is the submission of lists of names of candidates qualified to be elected as Councilors.

For the Proportional Representation component, each Voluntary Group or Political Party must submit a list with ten (10) or more names of candidates than the total number of Councillors for the Proportional Representation Component, i.e. 50% of the seats, for the specific Local Authority Area.

For the Constituency Component:

1.Each Voluntary Group or Political Party should submit names of Candidates qualified to be Councillors equal to the number of Constituency seats which it intends to contest in the Local Authority Area.

2.An Independent Individual should have his/her name submitted for the one seat in the single constituency he/she is contesting.

3.A Candidate’s name can appear on only one Proportional Representation List and on only one Constituency List for only one Voluntary Group or Political Party.

4.A Candidate’s name cannot appear on the Proportional Representation list and Constituency list of more than one Voluntary Group or Political Party.

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