APNU commences countrywide protests for Local Govt. Elections

In demonstration of its commitment to ensuring democracy is maintained and Local

Opposition Leader David Granger (third from left) with APNU members outside Office of the President yesterday

Government Elections, (LGE) are held, the main political opposition coalition, A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), commenced a countrywide picketing campaign, yesterday.
Party members and scores of supporters held demonstrations in front of government offices in all six municipalities – Georgetown, Linden, New Amsterdam, Rose Hall, Corriverton and Anna Regina.
APNU is calling on the President to respect the Constitution of Guyana; issue the ‘commencement order’ to operationalise the Local Government Commission; assent to the Local Government (Amendment) Bill and respect the people’s democratic right to elect their own representatives.
In Georgetown, ranks of the Guyana Police Force were at hand as Opposition Leader David Granger led a march from Square of the Revolution to the Office of the President.
Outside the Office of the President, Granger and several supporters held placards and called on President Donald Ramotar to announce a date on which Local Government Elections will be held.
Earlier this month Granger reminded the government that LGE is a vital aspect of democracy and issued a September 15 ultimatum for President Ramotar to announce a date for the elections.
He noted that LGE is a constitutional obligation and a democratic entitlement of the Guyanese people and not an option of the executive branch of government.
Yesterday, Granger noted that the refusal by the President to name a date for the elections is a clear indication that efforts must intensify to convince the government that the elections are necessary.
He called on citizens countrywide to continue the exercise until the President does what the constitution mandates of him and calls a date for the elections.
He noted that Local Government is important because it deals with people’s daily lives in their communities and that it should be held every three years to allow people to elect the representatives they wish to manage their communities.

Supporters during the protest at Anna Regina yesterday.

Local Government Elections were last held in 1994. A small number of the councils that were voted in at the time remain in place, while some have been replaced by Interim Management Committees (IMCs) which were implemented by the government.
Efforts to host the local government polls have since proven futile.
Regardless of the improbability of an election, Granger has said that all “good people” must now demand their ‘inalienable’ right to elect the persons they want to represent them in their towns, villages and neighbourhoods.
He asserted that President Ramotar and the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPPC) administration have tried every device to overturn the legislative process and delay local government elections.
As such, he called on all Guyanese to join the campaign “without undue delay.”
APNU‘s Public Relations Officer, Mark Archer said that the public will be notified as the demonstrations continue.
Meanwhile demonstrators in Berbice noted that the exercise will be held every Tuesday at various locations, including the Regional Democratic Council, Freedom House, the Mayor and Town Council and various other venues in Rose Hall, Corriverton and New Amsterdam.
During the weekly press briefing of the People’s Progressive Party Civic, PPP/C yesterday, Minister of Home Affairs Clement Rohee, expressed his commitment to maintaining law and order during the ongoing exercise. Rohee said that the Opposition Leader had accused him of being weak and distracted, but that his strength will be exhibited in full capacity of the law should there be any disruptions of the peace during the picketing exercise.
“If Mr. Granger thinks I am weak…You know, he has launched a countrywide protest exercise to hasten the government’s’ signature on a number of Bills. I would like Mr. Granger to know… and I am not threatening or warning anybody. I am just saying that he announced that these things will be peaceful and so forth. If they are not peaceful and should there be any diversions from the peacefulness of any of those protest activities organized by Mr. Granger resulting in upsetting of the peace and good order of our country, then he will see who is really too weak to fight.”
Rohee explained that he is not distracted but rather, making continuous preparations for the party to successfully contest at any of the two impending elections.