AGAINST the backdrop of continued calls for Local Government Elections that have not been held since 1994, Local Government and Regional Development Minister Norman Whittaker has highlighted concerns about voter education in the newly- developed Local Government voting system. 

Recently, Minister Whittaker was hosted on a popular radio talk show where the conversation was steered to the direction of why the Guyana Government has not yet set a date for Local Government Elections.
“There is need for continuous and aggressive voter education on the need for Local Government Elections,” Whittaker said, as he reflected on the 1994 Local Government Elections where he recalled there was a 30 percent voter turnout rate of eligible voters.
Similarly, he pointed out, there is the need for everyone to “speak the same language” so that in any event where Local Government Elections and General Elections are due in the same year, General Elections will take precedence.
NO CONFIDENCE MOTION
Whittaker said that this was the case in 1997 when the first LGE after 1994 was due but could not be held since General Elections was held in that year.
Subject to the No Confidence Motion being brought against the Government by the Alliance For Change (AFC), the focus on Local Government Elections could be placed on the back burner.
A Vote of No Confidence against the Government, according to the Constitution, would result in the Government being dissolved with a move to general elections within three months of the motion being passed.

NEW HOUSING SCHEMES
Stressing that true democracy cannot be achieved in a system where people are disenfranchised due to GECOM’s inability, Minister Whittaker again urged that the elections management body should respond to the need for voter education and to effectively document voters who would have transferred to new housing schemes.
He said that this reality “does not auger well for the kind of democracy we are looking for.” “It is about ensuring that all who are eligible to vote are indeed properly registered to do so. It’s about people understanding what is local government.”
The Local Government Minister went on to defend the integrity of the Commissioners from his party when asked why he thought that there was some problem in the concerns about readiness from PPP Commissioners as compared to other commissioners at the Guyana Elections Commission.
Whittaker also underscored his confidence, saying that the People’s Progressive Party is “ready to go to elections,” especially since the party has not lost an election since 1992.
Further plugging the need for voter education, Whittaker urged the involvement of youth participation in elections, stating: “We haven’t been able to get a significant percentage of our young people involved.”
To this end, he said that the Local Government Ministry for some time had been involved in a campaign across Regions 4, 5 and 6 to “inform Guyana on what Local Government and Local Democracy is all about.” He did not specify, however, whether the conversations included Local Government Elections.
The Minister was reminded by another guest, Blue CAPS member Michael Leonard about the constitutionally mandated Local Government Elections which are to be held every three years.
Leonard added: “It is very dangerous for us as a society to continue in this state” since not holding the elections contributes to “decay in many of our communities,” especially in dealing with garbage collection and community clean-ups.