WITH Government having signalled its commitment to the holding of Local Government Elections at the earliest possible time, the Parliamentary Select Committee tasked with addressing the final four pieces of legislative reform this past week benefited from the input of two local experts, namely former taskforce members Navin Chandarpal and Vincent Alexander.

Local Government Minister Ganga Persaud yesterday  updated media operatives on the work of the committee, chaired by A Partnership for National Unity’s (APNU) Basil Williams and said that while the grouping has been meeting every week, at least two issues for which they are yet to find consensus have been sidelined to be addressed at a later date.
The two issues ‘parked’ until the remaining two bills are completed relate to the composition of the Elections Commission, as well as the formula to be used for the transfer of monies to the local government organs.
Minister Persaud told media operatives that the opposition and government are in disagreement over the make-up of the commission; and while a compromise has been put forward, it is yet to be concluded.
The Local Government Commission Bill proposes that the commission comprise six persons, three appointed by the President, two by the Opposition Leader and another by the Local Government Minister.
According to Persaud, the combined opposition has proposed that the amount be increased to seven.
Persaud told members of the media that while government is amenable to the opposition request, for the number of commissioners to be increased to seven, there is still dispute over its composition.
The Local Government Minister reported yesterday that the opposition proposals seeks to have three of the commissioners appointed by the President, another three by the Opposition, and the seventh to be identified from a trade union operating within the local authority environment.
According to the Local Government Minister, while government is looking to compromise on the number of persons, its position is that three should be appointed by the President and three by the Opposition, one of whom would be selected from within the trade union environment and the final member appointed by the minister.
This issue, he said, has been ‘parked,’ to be addressed after the Commission would have completed the remaining two Bills to be dealt with.
The second issue that has been ‘parked’, according to Persaud, revolves around the formula for the transfers of the monies to the 71 local government entities.
Persaud pointed out that there has been varying proposals put forward, but he is optimistic that, based on the presentations made by the two local experts, Chandarpal and Alexander, the disagreements would be reduced significantly.
He said that nonetheless, when the committee resumes it’s work next Friday, it will be moving on to the two remaining pieces of legislation to be addressed.
“Our take at the ministry is that we continue our in-house preparation for the holding of the elections.”
He said that the ministry is currently at a stage of rolling out a public awareness package in anticipation of the elections.
“Much of the background data gathering would have been completed,” according to Persaud, who emphasised that the ministry, on behalf of the Government of Guyana, has moved consistently and “is well prepared to meet his Excellency, President Donald Ramotar’s commitment to the nation, of holding local government elections as soon as is practicable.”