MINISTER of Local Government and Regional Development, Mr. Kellawan Lall has given the undertaking to work with the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) in a consultative approach to determine the number of seats in existing Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs), especially those that are geographically small and/or underpopulated.

A release said it emerged from a meeting between him and GECOM team led by its Chairman, Dr. Steve Surujbally.

They met, at the insistance of GECOM, to advise the minister of the essential need for the number of seats in geographically small and/or underpopulated NDCs to be reduced before he makes any order pertaining to the demarcation of constituencies, the release said.

“GECOM is aware that the Minister of Local Government could, by order, reduce the number of seats on an NDC and that this would be possible only after the draft Elections Laws (Amendment) Bill 2009 is put before the National Assembly and becomes law,” the release explained.

It said Lall acknowledged that GECOM possesses the knowledge and expertise to deal with the demarcation of constituencies.

“Further, he recognised that this task fell within GECOM’s mandate, the implementation with which neither he nor his ministry could be officially associated,” it said.

The statement said Lall assured GECOM that the boundaries of existing NDCs will not be changed for the upcoming local government elections and advised that the demarcation be done with this in mind.

“The minister noted, however, that issues of boundaries could be addressed at a later date,” it stated.

GECOM undertook to put together a proposal for the demarcation of the targeted NDCs, with suggestions for the number of seats to be considered by Minister Lall.

Surujbally was accompanied by other Commissioners, Mr.Vincent Alexander, Mr. Charles Corbin, Mr. Mahmood Shaw and Mr. Robert Williams and Chief Elections Officer, Mr. Gocool Bodhoo, as well as officials from the GECOM Secretariat.