ATTORNEY-General and Minister of Legal Affairs Basil Williams on Saturday and Sunday encouraged residents of the Essequibo Coast to vote in the upcoming Local Government Elections (LGE).Williams met with residents of Anna Regina, Dartmouth, Queenstown and Good Hope, and spoke of the importance of LGE.

“The aim of the local government elections is to empower you to participate and make decisions for yourselves in your communities from your level,” he said. “You can make demands at a higher level to ensure your communities are fitted with proper roads, electricity, garbage-disposal systems, etc.
“You will have the ability to decide on businesses for your communities and you can even invite investors,” he told villagers.

Additionally, the Attorney-General explained the LGE process, noting that it was “a microcosm of national elections.” He told the residents that by voting for their peers, it would be easier for communities to achieve their goals and he explained that those elected would represent their respective constituencies.
Williams encouraged the residents to use LGE as a step towards the APNU+AFC’s mantra of “a good life for all Guyanese”.

Meanwhile, residents of the four communities visited were given an opportunity to speak of issues affecting their communities with panels comprising the Attorney-General, the Regional Executive Officer, the Chairman of the Regional Committee of the People’s National Congress Reform (PNC/R-Region 2) and Chairman of the Alliance For Change-Region 2 (AFC). Issues raised included transparency in tendering processes, illegal occupation and possession of land, rice-farming, licensing and police brutality, a statement from the Ministry of Legal Affairs stated.