Four accredited ambassadors from nations with which Guyana is pleased

to have very good diplomatic relations, chose to make a public call last week why they feel there should be no further delays in the conduct of local government elections here this year.
They are the envoys of the United States of America (Brent Hardt); United Kingdom (Andrew Ayre); Canada’s David Devine and the European Union’s Robert Kopecky.
Since, like these ambassadors, Guyana is committed to democratic governance and freedom of expression, their intervention on the issue of  the need for local government elections is welcomed in the context that it’s a concern fully recognised by the PPP/C Administration.
What is somewhat peculiar about the timing of the foreign diplomats’ announced intervention is that they seem not to have been aware that in accordance with a publicly expressed reaffirmation, the government was in fact that very time readying to table legislation in Parliament for the conduct of such elections.
Indeed, on Thursday January 10, the relevant legislation, ‘Local Authorities (Elections) (Amendment) Bill 2013, No.3 of 2013’, which was being drafted for some months, was tabled  in the National Assembly, with the explanation that once approved, the Act “will be deemed to have come into operation on November 1, 2012.”
The ambassadors would also be aware, as reported in our edition of Friday, January 11, that while the parliamentary opposition parties have also been clamouring for the conduct of local government elections, they are yet to come forward with support for passage of four related Bills.
The Opposition’s support, as explained by the Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Ganga Persaud, “will determine whether these elections are held in 2013…”
The quartet of related legislative measures are currently at the Select Committee of the House, in which the Opposition coalition has a majority of one.
We feel that the other accredited diplomatic representatives to Guyana would also be aware of the current political status quo in relation to the government’s latest initiative for the conduct of local government elections; further, of the hurdles being faced, with respect to required cooperation from the parliamentary opposition in order to proceed with the four pieces of legislation.
Perhaps the Opposition may wish to be reminded of what the best way forward could be to ensure the conduct of local government elections this year, the last one having been held in 1994, two years after the return of the PPP/C to government with the first free and fair elections since 1964.
That forward step would require active and realistic cooperation with the government for enactment of the bunch of legislation that are integral for preparation of the too-long overdue local government elections to take place.