THE local government reform process and the organisation of local government elections in 2004 were the focus of a meeting President Bharrat Jagdeo held on Wednesday with interest groups.
The Government supports the holding of local government elections this year and to this end the President hosted a meeting with the diplomatic community and the Guyana Elections Commission to discuss the interventions necessary for the elections to take place, the Government Information Agency (GINA) reported.
The Head of State hosted a similar meeting on February 9 at the Office of the President, attended by representatives of the major political parties, statutory bodies involved in the constitutional reform process and the donor community, the agency said.
During that meeting, issues that dealt with local government elections weaknesses and strengths were examined. Mechanisms were proposed for addressing those issues and the participants resolved to continue meeting on the local government elections 2004 agenda, the agency said.
GINA noted that earlier, Head of the Presidential Secretariat and Cabinet Secretary, Dr. Roger Luncheon had stated that the People’s Progressive Party/Civic had indicated its intention to have local government elections conducted in 2004 and this position is supported by many factors, including:
* the elections are long overdue and the representatives elected in 1994 need a new mandate from citizens;
* the work of the Task Force on Electoral Reform is rapidly concluding; and
* the Elections Commission is fully aware of the Government’s plan.
Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission, Dr. Steve Surujbally said the commission will be unable to hold elections this year.
Dr. Luncheon had said that the President’s meetings are being summoned to critically review the necessary interventions and importantly, the time frame within which those interventions can be made, so as to ensure that local government elections are held this year.
An assessment of the resources that would be needed to bring about the local government elections in 2004 was also on the agenda, GINA said.