AS the Opposition People’s Progressive Party (PPP) prepares for Nomination Day on September 21 for Local Government Elections (LGE), the party has adopted special criteria for selecting its candidates, its leader Bharrat Jagdeo has said.
Jagdeo also told a news conference on Thursday at his office, that while the party has some concerns regarding the precise boundaries being established for the new areas which will be created following the elections in November, the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) has made a commitment to share more information with the party and it will make these known when the electoral body updates the party.

In June this year, Minister of Communities, Ronald Bulkan noted that the November 12 LGE polls will see eight new Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs) being formed as well as a new town. At the time, he said that the participating order was issued and is in the process of being gazetted.

On Thursday, Jagdeo said he finds it “unacceptable” that there are no precise boundaries in various constituencies including those being merged and according to him; no process of consultation has been embarked upon. He said that there are two constituencies where the PPP has large support, which he noted will be merged.
As regards its preparations, he said that the PPP has defined a set of criteria that will guide its structure in selecting candidates to represent the party at the polls. He said the party is looking at having a balance, having an average of 50 per cent of its candidates coming from the party and 50 per cent from the community. “Not necessarily party members,” Jagdeo said.

He said one of the key issues the party has been experiencing is commitment from its elected representatives to attend meetings. He explained that the party found that some persons after being elected councilors are busy earning a living. He said the party plans to ask upfront of its candidates if they have the time to serve and volunteer, if not the work of the municipality and the NDC will suffer.

Jagdeo said the party will up the ante and have more campaigns in more areas soon.