The A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) remains tight-lipped on its participation for the upcoming Local Government Elections and their minority coalition partner, the Alliance For Change, is yet to communicate their joint contest at the polls.
At a press conference on Tuesday, Opposition Leader Aubrey Norton was questioned about the APNU’s participation at the LGEs, as the Guyana Elections Commission continues its preparation for the hosting of the polls.
However, he maintained that the party will not divulge their participation or lack thereof, as he explained, “The question of elections has to do with strategy and tactic, and we think strategically we don’t need to say it at this time. We know what we need to say at our membership. We know we have to do our preparation. We will do that. But we will decide at the right time what we say in terms of participation or non-participation.”
When asked about their coalition partner, the AFC, and whether they are contesting the polls together, Norton shared that the party is yet to communicate its status.
“The AFC walked it alone and we’ve seen the results of that…The AFC has not said to us that they will go it alone and as a coalition, we are open to discussion. If we agree, we go together. If we don’t agree, then the AFC will go it alone,” Norton told media operatives.
Meanwhile, Norton opined that the winning of NDCs is a not a measure of a political party’s popularity.
LGE, which are usually due every two years, was last held in 2018. At the last LGE in November 2018, the then People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Opposition had secured 52 of the 80 Local Authority Areas (LAAs). This followed the holding of the LGE in 2016, during which the PPP/C also claimed the majority of the LAAs.
GECOM had been working on holding Local Government Elections (LGE) by this year end.
However, there is a workplan being examined by the Commission, that proposes holding it early next year. In August, the elections body also commenced the process of Claims and Objections, where persons could have claimed for inclusion on the Official List of Electors or make an objection to someone on the voters’ list.
