Prior to the  holding of Local Government election…
THE Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), last Friday, organised a follow up workshop for Political Parties, Voluntary Groups and Independent Candidates to elaborate on previous discussions pertinent to matters associated with the upcoming Local Government Elections. This workshop, which was titled “Preparations for Nomination Day”, was held in the Rupununi Room at Hotel Tower last Friday as a sequel to a similar one having been conducted at the same venue on February 17, 2010.

According to a statement from Mr. Vishnu Persaud, GECOM’s Public Relations Officer, the Workshop focused primarily on the following:-

** Explanation of the qualifications/disqualifications of a Councillor;

** Review of the requirements for the submission of Lists of Candidates;

** Consideration of the elements of the Proportional Representation List and the

Constituency List;
**  Explanation of the requirements in terms of support of Lists of Candidates and Individual Candidates;

**  Explanation of the basic processes involved in the examination of Lists of Candidates;

**  Explanation of how corrections may be done with regard to any List found to be defective;

**  Discussing advance preparations for the upcoming Local Government Elections; and

**  Publication of approved Lists.

Persaud said GECOM invited the following Political Parties, Voluntary Groups and Independent Candidates to attend and participate actively at the Workshop.

**   Alliance for Change

**   Fundamental Structure Group

**   God Bless Guyana

**   Good and Green Guyana

**   Guyana Action Party

**   Guyana Democratic Party

**   Guyana National Congress

**   Guyana Nationalists Party

**   Guyana National Reconstruction Party

**   Guyana Republic Party

**    Horizon and Star

**   Justice For All Party

**   Liberal Democrats

**   National Democratic Front

**   National Front Alliance

**   People’s Bread and Butter

**   People’s Democratic Congress

**   People’s Democratic Movement

**   People’s Democratic Party/Civic

**   People’s National Congress Reform

**   People’s Progressive Party/Civic

**   People’s Republic Party

**   Rise, Organise And Rebuild

**   The Independent Party

**   The United Force

**   United Muslim Party

**   United People’s Party

**   Unity Party

**    Vision Guyana

**    Working People’s Party

**    Progressive Neighbourhood Committee

**    Independent

**    Aaron Blackman, Independent Candidate

**    Mocha Arcadia Progressive Group

**    Beterverwagting Triumph United Development Group

**    Linden Salvation Council

**     Vibert Cooper, Independent Candidate

According to Mr. Persaud, the expected outcome of the two Workshops is that the Political Parties, Voluntary Groups and Independent Candidates that would be contesting the Local Government Elections would have a comprehensive understanding of what they would be required to do in order to contest the elections.

“Notwithstanding this however, GECOM remains able, willing and open to treat with requests from any potential contestant for information/explanations pertaining to all or any aspect of the Local Government Elections system and process,” the GECOM official said.