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The bill, read for the first time on November 24, was piloted by Minister of Local Government Harripersaud Nokta.
The bill was presented amidst sharp criticism from the PNCR and the Guyana Action Party/Working People's Alliance (GAP/WPA). The last local government elections were held in 1994.
PNCR MP Vincent Alexander sought to amend clause 1 of the bill by appending a phrase which said that nothing in the bill should prohibit the holding of elections for mayors, deputy mayors, chairmen and vice-chairmen of councils.
But his motion was defeated by a 30 to 22 vote during a division called for by Opposition Leader Robert Corbin. After this, the bill was read a third time and passed in its original state.
Nokta, in presenting the bill, justified it by saying that the PPP/C had projected in its 1992 manifesto that local government laws would have been amended to provide powers to the Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs).
Rising to lend support to his colleague, Minister Clinton Collymore said the members of the task force to make the amendments had had good relations, but their work was held back because of the pause in the Hoyte/Jagdeo dialogue.
He said the NDCs were grappling with laws which stipulated low rates and taxes. "We want to have them to a more acceptable level... We are seeking to have a unified valuation system. Rates charged will be based on capital value of the property."
Alexander said the PNCR made a proposal on the electoral process to the government two years ago and to date there had been no answer. He said the task force had not met in the last six weeks.
However, a meeting is scheduled for next Wednesday to discuss the draft report of the task force.
The task force is jointly chaired by Minister within the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development, Clinton Collymore, and PNCR MP Alexander. Other members include Llewellyn John and new PNCR MP, Basil Williams.
Williams said yesterday that Collymore had been super-imposing himself on the councils.
Sheila Holder of GAP/WPA said that the exercise was one that was "less than democratic," and it left citizens at the mercy of unelected persons.
GAP/WPA MP Shirley Melville argued that the extension of the time frame by one year would be meaningless "if we don't come up with a workable system". She said however that she appreciates the efforts on the government's part in the choice given to people in Amerindian villages, whether or not they want to be part of the NDC. (Johann Earle)