AS preparations for the upcoming Local Government Elections (LGEs) intensify, finance officer of the National Coordinating Coalition, Adeola Dorris, believes that there is need for an aggressive countrywide awareness campaign.

In a recent telephone interview, she told the Guyana Chronicle that civil society plays a “vital role” in meeting, sensitising and educating Guyana’s grassroot population.

According to her, the non-government organisation (NGO) has done and continues to do a good job and she is confident that they will do the same for the upcoming elections if given the opportunity.

Dorris acknowledged that there has been a “gradual move for awareness,” and she sees “lots” of efforts being made to inform eligible voters about the importance of these elections, particularly how it benefits them and their communities.

However, she said much more work is needed to get people to a stage of acceptance.

“I recognise the effort that the government is making. Awareness is key and I see that we are moving in that direction,” she told this publication.

According to Dorris, people are familiar with LGEs, but many don’t take it seriously. She said that more people are now paying attention to the elections as they have recognised their importance.

She used the opportunity to remind Guyanese that “your community and my community are also our responsibilities.”

Meanwhile, Chairman of the Private Sector Commission’s (PSC)’s governance and security sub-committee, Gerry Gouveia, has emphasised the importance of these elections to Guyana’s democracy.

Gouveia, who is also a prominent businessman and the National Security Adviser to the President, shared his views with the Guyana Chronicle during a recent interview.

According to him, LGEs are important because of the separation of powers between the central and local government organs and the fact that it allows people in the country to actually touch and feel democracy in their homes and communities.

He expressed his belief that it is vital that the elections be treated with the same level of priority and importance as the general and regional elections.

According to Gouveia, the governance and security sub-committee which he heads, has always played an important role in Guyana’s democracy.

According to him, the sub-committee has actually contributed in a tangible way.

“In the last elections, we had a thousand local observers deployed across the country because we [understood] the importance of having free and fair elections that reflect the will of the people and so the PSC is involved step by step in the process of our elections with GECOM in terms of the national data base and in terms of the voters’ list. We are very involved with it,” he added.

Gouveia singled out the Alliance For Change (AFC) party for its decision not to participate in the elections which will be held on March 13, 2023.

“I was quite disappointed when I heard the pronouncement that they were not going to participate in elections and the reason that they gave is one that is based on ignorance, but it is their loss,” he said, adding: “Even if the party doesn’t win the elections, I will want them involved because I would like that their voices reflect my voice.”

He used the opportunity to call on all Guyanese to go to the polls and cast their votes for the people of their choice.

Later, he said that he is “very optimistic” about where Guyana is and he asked those who refuse to participate in the process to “stop the attempt to destabilise our country with cheap political rhetoric.”

DEMOCRATIC RIGHT
Pastor Quacy Henry of Kildonan Village in Region Six also spoke with this publication.

He too described the elections as important and encouraged all Guyanese to go and exercise their right to choose the people who will represent them at the community level.

Pastor Henry, who is also the former Vice-Chairman of the Bush Lot/Adventure Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC), explained that one of its main purposes is to equip local representatives with the power to plan and make recommendations for improvements in their respective communities. These community leaders are also expected to oversee development projects and to address the concerns of residents.

He said he is happy that the government has set a date for LGEs and that it is going ahead as planned.?

Pastor Henry stated that it is “giving the local people a chance to exercise their democracy and to choose people that they want to lead them and I will like to tell the members of my community to go out and vote, go out and exercise your democratic rights.”

While noting that he is happy to see the increased efforts to raise awareness, he called on those in authority to do more so that citizens can better familiarise themselves with these elections.

He expressed his admiration for President, Dr Irfaan Ali for all he is doing for the country and its people.

“I don’t care who says what, but I am an admirer of the President of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana and what he has been doing and trying his best to implement.

He has a very high passing grade on my part; he is right up there in the A’s, and I highly commend the work that he is doing. Our President, being from the particular religion that he is from, I think that he is doing everything genuinely from his heart and what he is doing will reap tremendous reward. I am asking all Guyanese to reach out to our president as he continues to reach out to all Guyanese,” he added.