On 27 October 2014, citizens across Ontario, including the cities of Toronto, Mississauga and Brampton where most of the estimated 100,000 Guyanese in Canada live, will be electing new Mayors and City Councillors. Like many other countries, Canada has a long tradition of local democracy where municipal elections are held every two, three or four years depending on the location. In New York, where also most Guyanese in the United States live, mayoral elections take place every four years, the last being on 5 November 2013, while in the United Kingdom, such elections are held every four years. The last election for the Mayor of London was on 3 May 2012.
Contrast the above with what prevails in Guyana. Local government elections were last held in 1994 although the law requires such elections every three years. Therefore, for 17 years and on six consecutive occasions, ie, in 1997, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2009 and 2013, citizens were denied their democratic and constitutional right to decide who amongst them