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FM
Former Member

Ramotar explains non-assent to bill for local gov’t polls by August

 

Ramotar explains non-assent to bill for local gov’t polls by August

President Donald Ramotar

 

PRESIDENT Donald Ramotar, yesterday, formally stated why he has withheld his assent to the Local Government Amendment Bill that sets August 1 as the deadline for the holding of local government elections. In a letter sent to the Speaker of the National Assembly Raphael Trotman, President Ramotar said that he is withholding his signature in accordance with Article 170 (2) of the Guyana Constitution.


He went on to explain that in accordance with that article, the reason for him withholding his assent to the bill is because the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) has publicly declared that it is impractical to hold Local Government Elections on or before August 1, 2014 as mandated by the bill.


Meanwhile, Speaker Trotman when contacted for a comment on President Ramotar’s position stated that he has noted the position of the president and has sent a copy of the signed letter to all the Members of Parliament.


Trotman said that the next step will be the discussion on President Ramotar’s position when the House sits again and the way forward will then be determined.


The Speaker of the House had told the Guyana Chronicle that he is not sure if the position of President Ramotar is valid and stated that it will be the political parties who will have to consult with their representatives on the Guyana Elections Commission to see if that position is indeed held by GECOM.


According to him, he is of the view that the bill could have been assented to and then returned to the National Assembly for amendments where necessary, rather than not having a bill all together. Trotman said that not having a Local Government Bill and Local Government Elections is undemocratic.


Local-Election2

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Trotty is a REAL DUNCE. He is saying there should be a BILL despite the Election Commission stating that it is NOT practical to do so!!!!  The Chap is really a Speaker of a Parliament?? If so is he the Speaker of Timbuktu's Parliament?

Nehru
Originally Posted by Nehru:

Trotty is a REAL DUNCE. He is saying there should be a BILL despite the Election Commission stating that it is NOT practical to do so!!!!  The Chap is really a Speaker of a Parliament?? If so is he the Speaker of Timbuktu's Parliament?

When would it be practical for elections given that fellow is on a 15K US a month salary and he only has to have a verified head count of less than 500K people and prepare lists of candidates? 

 

Further why quote the constitution about not being ready and not the part that required them to so so periodically and they already missed the first by 2 decades?

 

 

FM
Originally Posted by Demerara_Guy:
Originally Posted by Nehru:

If so is he the Speaker of Timbuktu's Parliament?

Probably, Speaker of Tuktoyaktuk Parliament. 

Is that where you are from?

FM
Originally Posted by Demerara_Guy:

Ramotar explains non-assent to bill for local gov’t polls by August

 

Ramotar explains non-assent to bill for local gov’t polls by August

President Donald Ramotar

 

PRESIDENT Donald Ramotar, yesterday, formally stated why he has withheld his assent to the Local Government Amendment Bill that sets August 1 as the deadline for the holding of local government elections. In a letter sent to the Speaker of the National Assembly Raphael Trotman, President Ramotar said that he is withholding his signature in accordance with Article 170 (2) of the Guyana Constitution.


He went on to explain that in accordance with that article, the reason for him withholding his assent to the bill is because the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) has publicly declared that it is impractical to hold Local Government Elections on or before August 1, 2014 as mandated by the bill.


Meanwhile, Speaker Trotman when contacted for a comment on President Ramotar’s position stated that he has noted the position of the president and has sent a copy of the signed letter to all the Members of Parliament.


Trotman said that the next step will be the discussion on President Ramotar’s position when the House sits again and the way forward will then be determined.


The Speaker of the House had told the Guyana Chronicle that he is not sure if the position of President Ramotar is valid and stated that it will be the political parties who will have to consult with their representatives on the Guyana Elections Commission to see if that position is indeed held by GECOM.


According to him, he is of the view that the bill could have been assented to and then returned to the National Assembly for amendments where necessary, rather than not having a bill all together. Trotman said that not having a Local Government Bill and Local Government Elections is undemocratic.


Local-Election2

The combined opposition should change the date August 1 to an agreed date after consulting with the Elections Commission, then table the bill again in the National Assembly, and pass it again. Let's see what excuse President Ramotar would have then.

If he had assented to the bill immediately after it was passed, the Elections Commission would have had ample time to prepare for local government elections. The PPP instead declared that there were more important issues than local government elections, that people weren't in the mood, and all sorts of spurious excuses.

FM
Originally Posted by Gilbakka:
Originally Posted by Demerara_Guy:

Ramotar explains non-assent to bill for local gov’t polls by August

 

Ramotar explains non-assent to bill for local gov’t polls by August

President Donald Ramotar

 

PRESIDENT Donald Ramotar, yesterday, formally stated why he has withheld his assent to the Local Government Amendment Bill that sets August 1 as the deadline for the holding of local government elections. In a letter sent to the Speaker of the National Assembly Raphael Trotman, President Ramotar said that he is withholding his signature in accordance with Article 170 (2) of the Guyana Constitution.


He went on to explain that in accordance with that article, the reason for him withholding his assent to the bill is because the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) has publicly declared that it is impractical to hold Local Government Elections on or before August 1, 2014 as mandated by the bill.


Meanwhile, Speaker Trotman when contacted for a comment on President Ramotar’s position stated that he has noted the position of the president and has sent a copy of the signed letter to all the Members of Parliament.


Trotman said that the next step will be the discussion on President Ramotar’s position when the House sits again and the way forward will then be determined.


The Speaker of the House had told the Guyana Chronicle that he is not sure if the position of President Ramotar is valid and stated that it will be the political parties who will have to consult with their representatives on the Guyana Elections Commission to see if that position is indeed held by GECOM.


According to him, he is of the view that the bill could have been assented to and then returned to the National Assembly for amendments where necessary, rather than not having a bill all together. Trotman said that not having a Local Government Bill and Local Government Elections is undemocratic.


Local-Election2

The combined opposition should change the date August 1 to an agreed date after consulting with the Elections Commission, then table the bill again in the National Assembly, and pass it again. Let's see what excuse President Ramotar would have then.

If he had assented to the bill immediately after it was passed, the Elections Commission would have had ample time to prepare for local government elections. The PPP instead declared that there were more important issues than local government elections, that people weren't in the mood, and all sorts of spurious excuses.

 

Excellent proposal Gil 

 

Guyana badly needs Local Elections.

FM
Originally Posted by Nehru:

Trotty is a REAL DUNCE. He is saying there should be a BILL despite the Election Commission stating that it is NOT practical to do so!!!!  The Chap is really a Speaker of a Parliament?? If so is he the Speaker of Timbuktu's Parliament?

Earlier on in the year GECOM said it was ready, once it got approval from the gov't.  It didn't.  Now with two months to go it will clearly not be ready.

 

Whose fault is this?  The ppp which is afraid to host LGE, and would rather force down people's throats their own dictatorship?

 

LGE is how one gets average citizens involved in the political process in order to determine local leadership and to control their communities.  The PPP is afraid of this.

FM
Originally Posted by Stormborn:
Originally Posted by Demerara_Guy:
Originally Posted by Nehru:

If so is he the Speaker of Timbuktu's Parliament?

Probably, Speaker of Tuktoyaktuk Parliament. 

Is that where you are from?

About an hour and half by plane from where I live, and also not too far from the North Pole.

FM

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