MINISTER of Local Government and Regional Development, Ganga Persaud has defended the pace of review by the Attorney General’s Chamber, of the four Local Government bills that were recently amended and passed in the National Assembly.

The minister explained that what some see as a lengthy process by the Chamber, is in fact allowing for thorough assessment of the bills, to ensure that they are not threats to other pieces of legislation that also impact on the local government system.
“I have also heard and read statements which question the role of the Attorney General’s Chamber, with regard to these four pieces of legislation. My little knowledge of the legal environment suggests that you cannot treat pieces of legislation in isolation, particularly when we talk about Local Government and legislation influencing Local Government, because there is a number of legislations that seek to work in concert… the AG’s chambers have to consult and interact with each piece of legislation, that is applicable to Local Government,” Minister Persaud stated.
The four pieces of legislations are not the only ones that have an impact on Local Government in Guyana; hence there is need for a thorough review, to have a holistic view of the legal environment with regards to Local Government.
The National Assembly approved the Fiscal Transfers Bill, the Municipal and District Councils (Amendment) Bill, the Local Government (Amendment) Bill and the Local Government Commission Bill in August.
The minister expressed confidence that as soon as the Attorney General receives the guidance from his technical staff, he would seek to prepare his opinion and guidance to the President and to present, as well, the bills to the President.
The situation is that the four bills have no bearing on the holding of the local government elections, save and except for the PPP/C’s commitment to having Local Government reform completed before elections are held, he stated.
In response to comments that were published in the print media recently, allegedly by Leader of the Alliance For Change (AFC), Khemraj Ramjattan in which he was reported to have said that the PPP/C Members of Parliament (MPs) supported all four pieces of bills in the House, Minister Persaud said, “that statement is incorrect.”
He stated that “anyone going through the Hansards would have recognised that all the persons who would have spoken on behalf of the PPP/C side would have stated very clearly their opposition to proposed amendments which were subsequently passed in the Local Authorities Amendment bill and similar objections to some aspects in the Local Government Commission bill.”
Minister Persaud said that for Ramjattan to say that the PPP/C Members of Parliament unanimously supported all four pieces of legislation is “extremely distasteful and immature, mischievous politics.”
The minister alluded to the statements being made that the PPP/C is afraid of holding Local Government elections. “I would not respond because I am certain that the party has capable and competent people to respond to such a statement and I think that such responses would have been made over time…but I wish to recommit, that the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development, acting on the direction of the Government led by Mr. Donald Ramotar, has continued in earnest its preparation for the holding of Local Government elections.”
He reaffirmed that the ministry has done all that were required to ensure that the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) move, and move rapidly, towards preparation with regard to the holding of the elections.