— PNCR
THE main opposition People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) wants an early voter education programme for the long-postponed Local Government elections now due in November.

In a statement at its weekly press conference yesterday, the party said that because of the fundamental reforms to the Local Government electoral system, it is vital that there should be the early implementation of a comprehensive and people-friendly public education programme.

At its Congress Place headquarters briefing, it said this was needed so that the electorate can understand the system under which Local Government elections are to be held.

“It is, therefore, a source of concern to the party that such a programme has not yet started”, the statement said.

However, Cabinet Secretary, Dr Roger Luncheon, this week said voter education, particularly about the new electoral system, is among the main activities by the Guyana Elections Commission that “will attract increasing scrutiny as time flows”.

He said the commission is into the final stages for its management of the polls, adding that Cabinet was convinced that with full cooperation and support, the holding of Local Government elections will be a reality this year.

Luncheon noted that the remaining bills on Local Government reform have been tabled in Parliament but the PNCR boycotted the first sitting of the Select Committee to examine the bills.

He said the PNCR has even boycotted the Committee of Selection process, rejecting the opportunity to name its members to sit on it.

“Nonetheless, the Select Committee has been constituted and is anticipated to function in the context of defined time lines for the widely supported Local Government elections in 2009”, he said.

The PNCR claimed the government has “evidently been committed to a strategy of frustrating the process of Local Government reform and, thereby, delayed the holding of Local Government elections.”

But at his weekly post-Cabinet press briefing on Wednesday, Luncheon said stakeholders have all taken principled positions – with the government putting the finance, political will and capital on board for the process and opposition parties initiating the training and selection of electoral officials.

He said despite risks and concerns, the “signs are promising…but if we were to collectively cultivate those interventions that allowed us to move forward, we will have Local Government elections in 2009.”

The PNCR said it and the other Parliamentary Opposition parties have consistently argued that the reform of the system of Local Government is a necessary condition for the holding of Local Government elections and the promotion, and nurturing of democracy at the “grass roots” levels in Guyana.

It said the Local Government reforms must therefore be implemented prior to the holding of Local Government elections.

It added that contrary to the government’s “self serving propaganda, the PNCR-1G and the other Parliamentary Opposition parties have made the commitment that, provided there is the political will and good faith by the Government members, the issues that remain to be resolved can be concluded expeditiously, in time for the holding of Local Government elections.”