By Fareeza Haniff
[www.inewsguyana.com] – A number of legislative and regulatory issues need to be addressed before Local Government (LG) elections can be held in Guyana.
This is according to General Secretary of the ruling People’s Progressive Party (PPP), Clement Rohee, who told a news conference on Monday, May 19 that if the legislative issues are not put to rest, then the elections can start off on the “wrong foot.”
“This country has not had a very comfortable and happy past with regards to elections, so the worst thing that can happen with this news dispensation with respect to local government elections is for it to start off on the wrong footing.
“Because a number of things are still not in place, a number of issues are still not settled at the Commission level and parliamentary level,” Rohee told reporters.
He added, “So far, nothing has happened in Parliament. I hear people talking about putting in place the Commission. The Commission is not the only issue in relation to holding Local Government Elections.”
He reiterated that the PPP is committed to holding the elections, but could not give a time frame as to when. President Donald Ramotar had assented to three of the four Local Government Bills which were passed in the National Assembly last year.
However, the President did not give his assent to the Local Government Amendment Bill, citing that it is unconstitutional. The Opposition has since indicated that the elections could be held without this Bill and the Guyana Elections Commission has since given its readiness to hold the elections.
