Regional councils to meet on Jan. 25th for elections
By Stabroek editor
Friday, January 20, 2012
Source
Acting in accordance with Article 73 (2) of the Constitution of Guyana, President Donald Ramotar has issued the Notice today, 20th January, 2012 proclaiming January 25th, 2012 as the date that election of members of the ten Regional Democratic Councils shall be held in their respective boardrooms. The notice was released this afternoon by the Government Information Agency.
The proclamation paves the way for a series of elections which will test the three parties on alliance building.
Region Eight (Potaro/Siparuni) is the only region where the elections did not produce a majority result. The AFC gained a plurality â the single highest number of seats. However, while winning the region and the parliamentary seat that went with it, the AFC would require support from APNU or the PPP/C to secure the position of chairman of the region when the Regional Democratic Council holds its elections.
The results for the regional elections show that of the 15 council seats, the AFC won 6, APNU 4, the PPP/C 4 and TUF 1. Therefore to secure the position of chairman the AFC would require the support of one party or its en-bloc abstention.
The convention usually is that the party with the highest number of seats would gain support for the chairmanship. Having finally concluded a deal on the Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, observers say that the atmosphere is now more propitious for an arrangement between the AFC and APNU.
Sources suggest that neither the AFC nor APNU would want the PPP/C to control the region â increasingly important as swing votes â and would work out a deal.
In the other nine regions there is a clear majority. Region Seven (Cuyuni/Mazaruni) has the slenderest and will test the parties to ensure that their members are present for key votes. APNU has eight seats while the PPP/C has six and the AFC has one.
Whereas it had a broader majority in Region 5 (Mahaica/West Berbice) in 2006, the PPP/C has a two-seat majority in 2011. It has 10 seats while APNU has six and the AFC, 2. Region 9 (Upper Takutu/Upper Essequibo) can also be tricky. The PPP/C has eight of 15 seats. APNU has 4, the AFC 2 and TUF 1.
In 2006, the most watched regional council election was in Region Four where for the first since 1992, the PNCR did not have a clear majority. It held 16 seats, the PPP/C 15 seats, the AFC three seats and the Justice For All Party one seat.
There had been intense speculation that one of the two major parties would do a deal with the AFC for the chairmanship. However, when the election was held, the PNCR combined with the PPP/C to secure the chairmanship. Co-operation between the two parties fell away rapidly after that and there were several acrimonious meetings and bitter exchanges between councillors on both sides.
By Stabroek editor
Friday, January 20, 2012
Source
Acting in accordance with Article 73 (2) of the Constitution of Guyana, President Donald Ramotar has issued the Notice today, 20th January, 2012 proclaiming January 25th, 2012 as the date that election of members of the ten Regional Democratic Councils shall be held in their respective boardrooms. The notice was released this afternoon by the Government Information Agency.
The proclamation paves the way for a series of elections which will test the three parties on alliance building.
Region Eight (Potaro/Siparuni) is the only region where the elections did not produce a majority result. The AFC gained a plurality â the single highest number of seats. However, while winning the region and the parliamentary seat that went with it, the AFC would require support from APNU or the PPP/C to secure the position of chairman of the region when the Regional Democratic Council holds its elections.
The results for the regional elections show that of the 15 council seats, the AFC won 6, APNU 4, the PPP/C 4 and TUF 1. Therefore to secure the position of chairman the AFC would require the support of one party or its en-bloc abstention.
The convention usually is that the party with the highest number of seats would gain support for the chairmanship. Having finally concluded a deal on the Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, observers say that the atmosphere is now more propitious for an arrangement between the AFC and APNU.
Sources suggest that neither the AFC nor APNU would want the PPP/C to control the region â increasingly important as swing votes â and would work out a deal.
In the other nine regions there is a clear majority. Region Seven (Cuyuni/Mazaruni) has the slenderest and will test the parties to ensure that their members are present for key votes. APNU has eight seats while the PPP/C has six and the AFC has one.
Whereas it had a broader majority in Region 5 (Mahaica/West Berbice) in 2006, the PPP/C has a two-seat majority in 2011. It has 10 seats while APNU has six and the AFC, 2. Region 9 (Upper Takutu/Upper Essequibo) can also be tricky. The PPP/C has eight of 15 seats. APNU has 4, the AFC 2 and TUF 1.
In 2006, the most watched regional council election was in Region Four where for the first since 1992, the PNCR did not have a clear majority. It held 16 seats, the PPP/C 15 seats, the AFC three seats and the Justice For All Party one seat.
There had been intense speculation that one of the two major parties would do a deal with the AFC for the chairmanship. However, when the election was held, the PNCR combined with the PPP/C to secure the chairmanship. Co-operation between the two parties fell away rapidly after that and there were several acrimonious meetings and bitter exchanges between councillors on both sides.