–says will not be opposed to such a process

THE People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), in a short statement issued on Tuesday, said that it stands ready to support the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) to conduct another round of claims and objections.

“The People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) will not be opposed to the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) embarking upon another round of Claims and Objections in respect of the Register of Voters for the upcoming Local Government Elections proposed to be held in 2023,” the party said.

Chief Elections Officer (CEO), Vishnu Persaud, has written to the Chairperson of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), Justice (ret’d) Claudette Singh asking to conduct a 14-day exercise to correct the Register of Voters (ROVs) for the Local Government Elections.

Persaud proposed that the Commission approve the conduct of a 14-day exercise under Section 24A “Correction of Registers by Elections Commission” for the elections, which would give the electorate the opportunity to scrutinise the ROVs, with specific reference to the constituency ROVs.

“It is acknowledged that the approval of this proposal would cause the conduct of Local Government Elections to be further delayed. However, it is humbly submitted that value to be derived from the unimpeded involvement of all concerned at the level of all Local Authority Areas is of greater importance,” the CEO said.

He added: “This proposal is submitted in view of the vital need for the upcoming Local Government Elections to not only be free, fair and credible, but to be seen by all concerned as being free, fair and credible.”

The LGE is currently set for March 13, with Nominations Day just days away, having been scheduled for December 12.

The March 13 date for LGE was announced in October by Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Nigel Dharamlall, after it was declared the earliest possible date based on a work plan that was submitted by GECOM to the minister.

However, a “claims and objections” period was held by GECOM from August 22 to September 21 and a Preliminary List of Electors (PLE) was produced, but the APNU+AFC did not participate in the process.

It is at the LGE that Guyanese are given the opportunity to vote for the councillors that will constitute their Local Authority Areas (LAA).

Guyana has 80 LAAs, 70 Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs) and 10 municipalities, inclusive of Georgetown. At the LGE, a citizen can only vote within a LAA where they are a resident.

“[In order to facilitate the claims and objection exercise], it will be necessary for the divisional/Sub-divisional ROVs to be posted at two buildings within each division/sub-division LAA,” Persaud said, adding that this will take seven days.