THE Local Authorities (Elections) (Amendment) Bill which seeks to extend the date on which local government elections may be held, was last evening passed in the National Assembly. Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Ganga Persaud, said the government is anxiously awaiting the deliberations of the four Bills that are before a special select committee that will pave the way for the holding of the elections.
These Bills include: the Fiscal Transfers Bill, Municipal and District Councils (Amendment) Bill, Local Government (Amendment) Bill and the Local Government Commission Bill.
Minister Persaud said many reasons have been advanced as to why these long-awaited elections, which were constitutionally due since 1997, were not held. He called on the House to seek to endeavour to conclude this process as early as possible, so as to allow citizens to elect leadership at the local level this year.
APNU member, Ronald Bulkan, described the Bill as another blank cheque to allow government to ride roughshod over local authorities and local democratic organs.
He also criticised government’s move to replace certain Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs) with Interim Management Committees (IMCs) and said that it was done in a “hand-picked” and partisan manner.
Meanwhile, Minister within the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development, Norman Whittaker, reminded that the IMCs were not created at the level of the Local Government Ministry. This intervention was provided for in the laws of Guyana.
In cases where a local government body’s affairs are not properly managed, resources are being misused and where it has become depleted in terms of numbers, the legislation makes provision for members of that municipality to petition the minister with an expectation that the issues that are highlighted in the said petition will be addressed.
“What we have been doing at the level of the ministry is part of a reform process…the IMCs that have been installed throughout this country arose out of petitions from people and/or conditions deteriorating within the NDCs that required our immediate action,” Minister Whittaker stated.
He assured the House that the PPP/C Government is prepared to have these elections.
Meanwhile, Minister within the Ministry of Finance, Juan Edghill, speaking in support of the Bill, said that local governance in Guyana needs invigorating and the best way to do that is by holding the elections.
He said that these elections are being stalled by the political impediments that exist, which all parties must work together to remove. (GINA)