Guyana is no closer to local government elections as the bill required to mandate the elections by a specified date this year is yet to engage President Donald Ramotar’s attention.
During a press conference yesterday, interim Local Government Minister Norman Whittaker said the bill – the Local Authorities (Elections Amendment) Bill 2014 – was sent to the Attorney General’s Chambers after being passed earlier this year by the National Assembly. It remains there to this date. The Attorney General (AG) Anil Nandlall has said that he is awaiting the president’s instruction before sending it to the office of the president to be signed or rejected. This is despite the fact that the AG is supposed to be the one advising the president on such matters.
Whittaker, when asked of the president’s reason/s for not signing the bill, said that Ramotar has always