Expert on electoral systems, Dr.Benjamin Reilly, submitted a list of six options to the Task Force on Local Government Reform last Thursday at a special meeting organised to facilitate his brief visit here.

And Minister within the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development, Clinton Collymore met with Dr. Reilly on Tuesday last for an exchange of views on the reform, according to a release from the Government Information Agency (GINA). Later that day, members of the Task Force met again with Dr.Reilly for a further discussion.

The Task Force is studying the submission prior to deciding which may be the appropriate option in the Guyana situation.

According to GINA, the following are brief excerpts from the options:

Option 1:

Independents and groups, as well as parties, contesting local government elections could be treated as political parties for the purposes of the Act. Thus, should an individual gain enough votes to be entitled to more than one seat, he could name someone to take up the extra seat or seats.

Option 2:

An open list of proportional representation. Candidates' names, including those of independents (or individuals) will appear on the ballot paper. Voters vote for a party or for a candidate on the list, or both party and candidate.

Option 3:

A single non-transferable vote. All candidates are listed on the ballot paper. Those with the highest vote totals are declared elected. For a 12-seat council, those elected are candidates who have the 12 highest votes. This system makes no distinction between candidates who are independents, who are from a group, or who are representing parties.

Option 4:

A ward or constituency system. One candidate or several candidates will contest for a single seat in a constituency or ward. A council with 12 seats would have 12 constituencies or wards. There is no proportionality in this system.

Option 5:

This is a mixed system. Some councillors would be elected by proportional representation and some by the constituency or ward system. Where the proportional principle is concerned, seats are allocated in proportion to votes cast. Where the representational principle is concerned, voters have a specific councillor who can be held accountable.

Option 6:

This system specifically excludes any political party from contesting the elections. It was noted in the release that the Constitution stipulates that Local Government elections are to be contested by groups, individuals and parties. So excluding groups, individuals, and parties, is not legally viable in Guyana.

Dr Reilly, 35, hails from Sydney, Australia. He holds a Doctor of Philosophy and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and has also been an adviser, Government Division, Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, Canberra, Australia.