Bill tabled for holding of Local Gov’t Elections before year-end
The Local Authorities (Elections) (Amendment) Bill 2013 Bill No. 3 of 2013 was today tabled in the National Assembly seeking to extend the date on which Local Government Elections may be held. The Bill if it becomes an Act will be deemed to have come into operation on November 1, 2012.
It also states that the next Local Government Elections are due before December 1, 2013.
Additionally, the Bill states that the Minister may “on request of a Local Democratic Organ or on his instructions, authorise the holding of the election at any time for the election of a Mayor, Deputy Mayor or a Chairman or Deputy Chairman of a Local Democratic Organ.
Despite the tabling of this Bill and amidst the Opposition’s call for Local Government Elections to be held in Guyana, their support is still pending on the final four bills that seek to address the holding of these elections. Their support will determine whether these elections are held in 2013, Minister of Local Government and Regional Development Ganga Persaud said at a recent press conference.
The four bills; the Fiscal Transfers Bill, the Municipal and District Councils (Amendment) Bill, the Local Government (Amendment) Bill and the Local Government Commission Bill are at the level of the Select Committee in which the Opposition has a majority.
The committee is also chaired by Opposition Member Basil Williams.
Minister Persaud is not optimistic that given the Opposition domination of the Select Committee that the Bills will be supported. He had recently pointed to the fact that during the 10th Parliament, Opposition members avoided attending the meeting at the select committee level and Bills were not completely dealt with.
The Local Government Minister is not confident that the Committee will not repeat its treatment of the Bills in 2013. However, he gave the assurance that the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development is ready to hold the election and to ensure that all the legal and administrative frameworks necessary for the elections are in place or can be quickly put in place.
Minister Persaud in 2012 had in the National Assembly tabled the four bills but these did not receive the Opposition’s support and were instead sent to a Select Committee.
