–pushes ‘unjustified’ rhetoric despite timeline being estbalished for elections

NOTWITHSTANDING the delaying tactics employed by the APNU+AFC Opposition, the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) has already identified a timeline for the hosting of Local Government Elections (LGE).

And now that a schedule has been established, the Commission is expected to write the Minister of Local Government and Regional Development Nigel Dharamlall, shortly on the matter, government-nominated GECOM Commissioner Sase Gunraj confirmed during an interview with the Sunday Chronicle on Saturday.

“We have already identified the time period, and the Commission has taken a decision to write to the Minister of Local Government, indicating a timeframe within which elections can be held. I understand it will be done shortly,” Gunraj said.

According to the GECOM Commissioner, the Commission already has a plan that has been approved.
“Local Government Elections, like any other elections, is run via a plan; we have a plan that is approved by GECOM, which the Secretariat will use to run elections. That plan includes timeline, etc.,” Gunraj explained.
And while he did not reveal what time period has been identified, he said, “When the Commission writes [the minister], that date will then be made public.”

Asked about the delaying tactics being employed by the APNU+AFC-nominated Commissioners, Gunraj said that this will not hamper the Commission from moving forward with its work.
There had been purported efforts by some of the APNU+AFC-nominated Commissioners to stymie the holding of the elections, which will see councillors being elected for the 80 local democratic organs (LDOs), which include the 70 Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs) and 10 municipalities, inclusive of Georgetown.

Many have challenged the Opposition’s readiness for elections, given the ultimatums made by Leader of the Opposition (LOO) and Chairman of APNU+AFC Aubrey Norton before they participate in elections.
Chief among Norton’s demands is his continuous call for changes to the voters’ list, in contravention of a ruling by the High Court that outlines how said changes can be made.

This is despite the fact that GECOM had extended the Claims and Objections exercise to seven days, concluding on Sunday, September 21, at the behest of the Opposition, which did not participate in this process.
The Claims and Objections exercise within the continuous registration process is conducted at the registration offices and sub-offices for a specified period.

This exercise provides eligible electors who did not register, the opportunity to gain entry to the list of electors, or to update their particulars (transfers and changes), and it also provides the opportunity for objections to particulars in the Preliminary List of Electors (PLE).

Notwithstanding claims that the voters list is bloated, there was hardly any marked number of objections to the PLE during the recent Claims and Objections exercise held by GECOM.
The LGE had been constitutionally due last year, with money being set aside in the 2021 budget for its hosting.

However, notwithstanding money being allocated in the 2021 budget for the hosting of the LGEs, due to several issues facing GECOM, the Chairperson, Justice (ret’d) Claudette Singh wrote Minister Dharamlall last year indicating the elections body’s inability to host the elections

Following the 2020 elections debacle, whereby the APNU+AFC purportedly interfered in the General and Regional Elections, there were questions surrounding the credibility of several employees who were implicated. Several were eventually booted, including then Chief Elections Officer (CEO) Keith Lowenfield. Hence, the LGEs could not be held in the absence of a CEO.

It was not until December 2021 that the current CEO, Vishnu Persaud was hired for the position.
The government had repeatedly indicated that it was ready to hold the elections, but was awaiting the guidance of GECOM.

Though the Local Government Minister is responsible for announcing the date for the LGEs, this can only be done after consultations with GECOM, which would pronounce on the election’s machinery’s readiness to facilitate the democratic process.