IN keeping with the democratic process that is being encouraged at all levels of governance, close to 100 Amerindian communities will be holding elections for toshaos and village councillors across the country. These elections will be conducted simultaneously between March 28 and April 28.
Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs, Nigel Dharamlall, in an invited comment, told the Government Information Agency (GINA) that the ministry is in full preparation mode for the village leaders’ elections.
He stated that the ministry is currently mobilising resources to facilitate the process and has notified the villages that are eligible for elections and their appointed election staff.
The ministry has also informed the villages about the process involved in the staging of the elections, including the need to publish the list of eligible voters from each community 60 days before the elections.
“Many villages have started to post their list of eligible voters and these lists are posted in public places in the villages,” the PS said.

The ministry is calling on all the individuals contesting the polls to conduct themselves in a manner appropriate to the staging of free and fair elections.
Dharamlall said that the ministry has received reports of individuals during their campaigns spreading misinformation regarding the work of the government. He called on these individuals to desist from these actions, and to allow the residents the opportunity to choose their officials. He also assured that the elected officials will continue to have the full support of the ministry.
The PS noted that a person cannot be elected as a Village Councillor unless he or she is an Amerindian, at least 18 years of age, is a resident in the village for a period of not less than three years, and has not been convicted of any serious crime.
To be elected as a toshao, a person must be eligible to stand as councillor and should not have held the position for the two terms immediately preceding his or her nomination.