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GECOM in limbo on status of Local Govt. elections

Apr 17, 2010 News

The Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) to date has not received any official notice from Government as to whether the Local Government Elections are delayed or postponed for a later date.  As such, they are left in a “limbo” and it would therefore, be illogical for the Commission to “expend scarce resources on an election that they are unsure will take place.”
This is according to Public Relations Officer of GECOM, Vishnu Persaud, who in an invited comment was responding to Alliance for Change (AFC) Member of Parliament (MP) David Patterson.
Patterson, during a recent press briefing, chided the commission for the halt on the voters’ education process.
Patterson had told media operatives that it is “with grave concern, that GECOM has ceased their voter education campaign.”
Patterson stated that “under a new electoral system,” they 7(AFC) consider it absolutely necessary that GECOM should utilise the current period to expand on their voter education process.
Persaud contends that the commission had published advertisements pertaining to the Public Awareness Campaign of Local Government Elections.
He added that there were “skit like infomercials” that would have enhanced public knowledge about the elections.
Persaud said that once the “outstanding reforms are in place,” and GECOM has the certainty of Elections, then there will be a continuation of that component as part of the preparation for Local Government Elections by GECOM.
The AFC is contending that once the educational process remains in place during the period of time that the opposition parties seek to find consensus on the reforms it would only seek to ensure that the Local Government Elections can be hastened.
Patterson maintained that the “outstanding Bills” proposed by the Local Government Task Force “should be agreed on by all parties and the International Community.”
MP Patterson and his Party are at variance with the Government of Guyana and its ruling party, PPP/C for their position on the guidelines that GECOM has on the Local Government Elections as having the mandate for an “undemocratic” Local Government Elections.
He stated during the briefing that their “position on the Local Government Elections remains the same” namely that that the AFC will only participate in Local Government Elections when proper Reforms of the Elections are implemented.
The Legislative Bill to be passed by the “Special Select Parliamentary Committee on Local Government Reform has not been reconvened,” Patterson emphasised.
He added also that his party is of the view that if “PPP/C Government is serious and fully committed to the holding of Local Government Elections under a reformed governance system, this committee has to be reactivated immediately to conclude agreement on the outstanding Bills.”
Patterson also expressed his party’s displeasure that it has been “over three weeks” since the Special Select Parliamentary Committee on Local Government Reform had not met.
He was referring to the fact that just over three weeks ago, President Bharrat Jagdeo had announced that the Administration would be seeking to have one final attempt with the stakeholders to find consensus on the reforms being called for.
Patterson insists that the AFC is going to do “whatever is necessary to ensure that all outstanding legislations are agreed between stakeholders and passed in the National Assembly.”

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