Local Government Elections will be held on March 18, 2016 as announced by Minister of Communities, Ronald Bulkan.
Bulkan held a special press conference on Friday morning to announce the date for the long overdue elections.
The last time Guyana hosted local government elections was back in 1994. The PPP administration never called the elections again.
“This is an important time in our history; your government has recently declared that Guyanese will have the opportunity to democratically elect Councillors to manage towns and neighbourhoods. Elections are important because they are a democratic constitutional right,” Bulkan said.
According to the Minister, these elections are essential because the entire local government system is currently rotten and must be rehabilitated and made fully functional.
He said “democratic renewal of local government organs is long overdue”.
Bulkan explained that local government is about handing decision-making power to the people to enable them to efficiently and effectively manage their communities. “With these facts in mind, I am pleased to inform you that local government elections will be conducted on March 18, 2016,” he announced.
He told media operatives that when Guyanese elect new local leaders on March 18, they will be making a break with the ways of the past since the new leaders will not just replace the old ones.
“The new, democratically elected officials will be empowered according to law, and they will be expected to perform their decision-making roles, according to law. They will not be subject to domination and control by central government,” he added.
Bulkan explained that the newly elected local leaders will have power to make decisions that affect citizens living within the respective Municipalities and Neighbourhood Democratic Councils and underscored the importance of each eligible voter casting a ballot.
“I invite everyone to ponder on these important matters which will determine Guyana’s direction of development for the next three years. Inform yourselves of what each candidate has to offer – listen to all of them – then, cast your ballot based on the issues. Let us put the past behind us and move forward to a better life for all residents within our respective communities,” he noted.
The Guyana Elections Commission has already begun preparations for these elections.
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