DECLARING that “two wrongs can’t make a right”, the People’s Progressive Party on Tuesday called on the APNU/AFC Administration to avoid making the same mistake it had made in failing to appoint the much-vaunted Local Government Commission (LGC).Approximately 100 protesters, mainly members and supporters of that party — chanting: “Who is the bully? Bulkan!” — marched outside the Ministry of the Presidency on Tuesday in an attempt to push Government to appoint the commission.

Minister of Communities, Ronald Bulkan, is responsible for appointment of the Local Government Commission, and PPP spokesman Zulfikar Mustapha told the press that the minister has been in the habit of postponing the appointment of that vital body.

Mustapha said the main opposition party decided to take protest action on Tuesday, and will continue such until the Commission is appointed and installed by the minister.

Mustapha said the PPP is disgusted, since “the Minister of Communities is not setting up the Local Government Commission although we have named our three representatives…. He has given a number of dates (when) he will appoint this Local Government Commission. Up to now, we have not seen the Local Government Commission appointed as yet.”

The party spokesman said the last date given by Minister Bulkan to appoint the commission was September 30. The party is calling on President David Granger to instruct Minister Bulkan to appoint the commission at the earliest possible time, to facilitate proper administration of the affairs of local authorities.

“The Local Government Commission is supposed to play a very important role to ensure that NDC budgets are passed (and) appointment of NDC officials and other local authority officials (is done),” Mustapha said.

Asked if the PPP, when in power, had not also failed to appoint the Local Government Commission, Mustapha told the press, “Two wrongs don’t make a right”.

The PPP had, several months ago, appointed three possible representatives – Clinton Collymore, Norman Whittaker and Carol Sooba. “We were waiting on them; they had written to us… As soon as we received the letter, we appointed our people, then we sent our nominees to them; and, up to now, they are holding those names and they have not appointed anybody,” Mustapha said.