THE A Partnership For National Unity and Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) Government in sticking to their “first 100 days” plan, stands committed to holding Local Government Elections (LGE) within that period, but in reality it could not proceed because the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) is not ready and fully prepared to do so. Sharing this belief was General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), Clement Rohee yesterday during the party’s weekly press briefing.
According to Rohee, Minister of Communities, Mr. Ronald Bulkan, has stated that the LGE will be held in November 2015, although “he is fully aware of the reality that Local Government Elections cannot be held in this year.

“He is throwing dust in the eyes of the electorate by making them believe that the APNU/AFC coalition administration is sticking to its “first 100 days” commitment by holding Local Government Elections before the end of the year,” said the party’s general secretary.
Through a sleight-of-hand arrangement, “the coalition” will attempt to “fool the people” by telling them that while they want LGE this year as was promised,it could not proceed because GECOM is not ready and fully prepared to do so.
Making reference to November of last year when Vincent Alexander, a People’s National Congress(PNC) GECOM Commissioner, had stated, “GECOM has said it needs six (6) months to deal with elections… calculations of these six months start when government says it wants elections.”
This he announced,means that government wants elections in November 2015, but according to Alexander Local Government Elections can be held in May of 2016.
2015 BUDGET
Rohee alluded to the fact that the 2015 budget calculated to be presented in August and considering all the implications for the annual parliamentary recess, the nation should be expecting the elections to be held in the second half of the next year.
Compounding the situation further is the need for GECOM to finalise the boundaries of each of the 71 NDCs; and to ensure that the electors in each of the legally demarcated NDCs are properly registered to vote.
In addition, there are certain non-assented bills that must be brought back to the National Assembly for passage. Then there is the preparation of over 500 digital ballot papers for each of the six municipalities that must be printed, not to mention those for the 71 National Democratic Councils (NDCs).
“All of this is contingent on information provided to GECOM as regards the candidates contesting the elections in the municipalities and the NDCs,” he said.
PPP/C READY   
However, he disclosed that the PPP/C is ready to contest these elections as provided for in the new laws whenever enacted.
Consideration must be given to the fact that an Elections Petition initiated by the PPP/C is soon to be heard in the High Court. The petition calls for a number of irregularities to be remedied before another election is held in Guyana. This is a legitimate expectation of the people.
“The PPP has demanded certain reforms at GECOM, the party has demanded the replacement of the current disgraced chairman; a total revamp of the machinery of GECOM, starting with recruitment of its key and critical staff; the secretariat must come under the purview and command of commissioners; polling day staff must be publicly vetted and returning officers,deputy returning officers as well as presiding officers must be acceptable to the commission and its commissioners,” said the PPP/C’s general secretary.
Apart from that, he stated that the rules under which they conduct their duties must be reviewed and agreed upon by law. Finally, there must be some internationalisation of the key and critical posts in GECOM’s operational arrangements.
PREPARATIONS UNDERWAY
Meanwhile, in responding to Rohee’s statement about GECOM not being ready and prepared for the LGE, GECOM Chairman Dr. Steve Surujbally during a telephone interview with the Guyana Chronicle, stated that he agrees with Rohee’s statement, because they are not fully ready, but preparations are under way.
He stated that they are using a new LGE system and this will take some time to prepare, as this is the first time the method is being used and it will take a lot to get the message across the country.
However,“along with the Chief Elections Officer(CEO) and the operations team we will be meeting with the Minister of Communities tomorrow [today], where we intend to consult on how we will move forward with the LGE.”
Nevertheless, Dr. Surujbally stated that they are working on most of the issues, as only last weekend a training session was held and CEO Keith Lowenfield has also prepared and is still preparing his action plan.