Local government elections depending on legislation in Parliament
– Ganga Persaud
THE Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development cannot move ahead with the holding of Local Government Elections until Parliament addresses certain pieces of legislation that are seated within its chambers. “The Ministry is seriously affected by the non-holding of these elections,” Local Government Minister Ganga Persaud pointed out, adding that the Tenth Parliament, to be convened shortly, is expected to deal with the matter.
Local Government Elections were due since 1997 but, following the general and regional elections in that year, Guyana went in a direction of constitutional reform and such reforms dictated that a task force on local government be established to address related issues.
That task force comprised representatives of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) and the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) and its work came to an end in 2008 and recommendations with regards to a number of legislative changes were submitted to both parties.
Minister Persaud, at a news conference earlier this week, said his understanding was that those legislations were laid in the National Assembly and some came out successfully after deliberations and were assented to, while others are still at various stages in the Parliament.
“I guess the Tenth Parliament will address those legislations, so that we can have local government elections. The President has made a clear commitment that we would like to have the elections in 2012.
“At the swearing-in ceremony when I took the oath of office as Minister, my first issue was the holding of the elections. You know more than I do the state of local government management across this beautiful land of ours.
“We are committed, as soon as we are given the green light to have local government elections and preparations in place,” Minister Persaud stated.
Meanwhile, Minister within the Local Government Ministry, Mr. Norman Whittaker, at a recent meeting with representatives of the Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs), observed that the absence of certain necessary reforms has been responsible for the delay in the holding of the elections.
He said the reforms will be “vigorously” pursued this year with the ultimate intention of holding the elections.
According to him, local government elections could not take place because of an agreement that was reached with the Opposition, that is, certain reforms in the local government structure were necessary.
Though it is physically and logistically impossible for the elections to be held during the first quarter of this year, the Minister said the Administration has every intention of vigorously pursuing them.
Also speaking on the need for those elections was Minister of Health, Dr. Bheri Ramsaran, who observed that local government elections may be able to produce a “more effective local administration”, with more energetic people who are able to confront the present community issues.