GECOM signals readiness for Local Govt polls

Steve SurujballyGeorgetown: The Guyana Elections Commissions (GECOM) says that it remains prepared for either Local Government or General and Regional elections but it just needs the commencement order from the Local Government Minister Norman Whittaker or President Donald Ramotar for each respective poll.

This is according to the Chairman of GECOM Dr Steve Surujbally in a recent interview disclosed that while the commission stands ready to commence election preparations no order has been issued to do so.

This is despite the prorogation of the National Assembly and President Donald Ramotar announcing that Local elections will be held by the second quarter of 2015, that is to say by the end of June.

But, Dr Surujbally is insisting that the commencement order has to come from the Local Government Minister who is constitutionally tasked with that responsibility.

Surujbally said “I am ready to take off, but it is contextual. The order has to come from the local government minister. The Minister has to make that pronouncement.”

In the meantime, he explained that GECOM will be embarking on another cycle of continuous registration in an effort to “further sanitize” the voter list.

Early November, just days after declaring that it would be “foolish” of him to call Local Government Elections, President Donald Ramotar declared his intention to hold those polls “in the second quarter of next year.”

He said that the Elections Commission informed him that it would need six months to prepare for the Local Government Polls which were last held in 1994.

Ramotar also committed to having more consultations with the Commission through his office and the Local Government Ministry before setting a date for the elections.