Latest update April 23rd, 2024 12:59 AM
Oct 08, 2014 News
In an attempt to reinforce its commitment to the democratic rights of Guyanese
citizens, the main opposition coalition, A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), yesterday continued protest demonstrations which called for the revival for Local Government Elections (LGE).
The protests were held in front the Office of the President where scores of supporters held up and chanted pro-democracy slogans like “Yes Democracy, No Dictatorship” and “Local Government Elections Now!”
Demonstrations began on September 23, as a response to President Donald Ramotar’s refusal to announce a date for LGE by September 15 – an ultimatum issued by the coalition. According to APNU, the demonstrations will be held countrywide in front of government office in all six municipalities – Georgetown, Linden, New Amsterdam, Rose Hall, Corriverton and Anna Regina.
Leading the demonstrations was Leader of the Opposition David Granger, who was also joined by founder and chairman of BlueCAPS, Clinton Urling.
BlueCAPS is a youth activist group and Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) that focuses on building leadership skills among youths and advocating for free and fair exercises of democracy.
The Chairman of BlueCAPS cited that the reason his group participated in the protest was due to the group’s primary objective of supporting initiatives that make LGE a reality, since the last time that the electoral process was held was in 1994.
“Without regular Local Government Election, we see that the local administrations have become dysfunctional and we see that this has led to poor administration in all facets of Guyanese society,” said Urling.
He believes that such poor administration has created a “leadership vacuum” that is affecting Guyana’s youth populous, resulting in the exclusion of youth participation in not only civil society but political society as well. He noted that any Guyanese below the age of 37 has not been able to participate in the LGE, and thus BlueCAPS was started as a vehicle to get youths involved in the electoral process.
The NGO and coalition reaffirmed their stance of holding LGE every three years as is stated in the constitution.
According to APNU Public Relations Officer, Mark Archer, the protests will continue as long as President Ramotar stalls from issuing the ‘commencement order’ to set in motion the Local Government Commission and “initiate the process by which the Local Government (Amendment) Bill could be returned for his assent.”
Archer also commented that the coalition welcomes any entity which supports the call for LGE and has also been in consultation with the Guyana Civil Society and BlueCAPS, the latter joining the demonstrations as a show of solidarity on the platform that LGE is a constitutional obligation and democratic entitlement of the Guyanese people.
Furthermore, APNU is also demanding that the President tells the citizens of Guyana ‘the truth’ about LGE with the implication being that statements released by the President and other government officials are meant to distract the public from the elections.
The Georgetown branch of the protests is being held in front of the Office of the President with the other arms of the movement focusing on the various government offices in their respective municipalities.
When asked whether the protests at the Office of the President will also include the participants from the other municipalities, Archer said that this is not planned, as the situation has not escalated to that point.
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