The People’s Progressive Party (PPP) has accused the government of attempting to subvert the role of elected regional chairmanships with the transformation of Bartica, Mabaruma, Mahdia and Lethem into towns.
Speaking at the party’s weekly press briefing on Monday General Secretary Clement Rohee claimed the move was to, “… replace the current PPP regional chairmen in Regions 1 and 9 with pro-government mayors and town clerks in the new municipalities.”
The party called government’s visit to these locations “social bribes” that are intent on convincing residents that under new municipalities the services provided under a Regional Democratic Council will be improved.
Rohee said the party was calling on the APNU+AFC Coalition and Gecom to perform their duties respectively.
Rohee blasted Communities Minister Ronald Bulkan for being ineffective, stating, “The nation had to await a meeting between Gecom and representatives of the ABC countries to learn that local government elections will be held in 2016. How shameful.”
He said it was then revealed to the public through statements by Minister of Governance Raphael Trotman at a post-cabinet press briefing and not the subject minister.
“Bulkan seems all mixed up concerning his role and Gecom’s role in respect to the holding of the local government elections in general and the naming of a date in particular. The hapless minister has refused to accept the advice of the experts on this complex matter. …Another sorry manifestation of his wooden-headed refusal to benefit from experience, common sense and information available,” Rohee said of the minister’s inability to effectively settle on a date.
“…All I am saying is factual… There was this meeting between Gecom and the ABC countries…, according to major news reports we were informed that the LGE would be held in March of 2016,” Rohee stated.
When challenged by members of the media over his party’s own past with local government elections Rohee said that the postponement of local government elections through legislative manoeuvring was always with the support of the opposition.
“The PPP took to parliament motions calling for the postponement of the elections and all those motions were supported by the opposition at the time,” Rohee stated.
He said that additionally, even after various protests calling for Chairman of Gecom Steve Surujbally to resign, the party would still contest elections should other criteria be met and Surujbally remain.
“We are not going into any personality issues; this election is bigger than a personality,” he told members of the media.
The PPP is demanding that Gecom ensure that Neighbourhood Democratic Council boundaries and constituencies are settled to the satisfaction of the party and that electors are placed within their appropriate lists depending on the boundaries.
The party also reiterated that the public relations department of Gecom would need to mount a user friendly campaign and once again called for public vetting of polling staff even though this demand did not gain traction prior to regional and general elections in May.
Last week the party called for local government elections to be held before the end of December 2015, as part of a list of 26 demands it would be lobbying for as it is of the view that the country is on the cusp of a national crisis.
