Minister of Local Government, Nigel Dharamlall has written to the town councils and other local government councils across the country informing them that there will be no local government elections this year. Over $1 Billion was already budgeted and passed for the purpose of hosting the elections.

In the letter, the Minister said the decision not to host the elections this year is a result of the Guyana Elections Commission not being ready to host the local government polls.

He said the elections have now been officially postponed to a later date.

Minister Dharamlall explained that with the elections being postponed, all Mayors, Deputy Mayors, Chairpersons, Deputy Chairpersons and Councillors will continue to serve in those roles and discharge the functions of their office. It was further explained that all acts done by the Councils during the period until the elections are held, will be deemed to be lawful.

The Local Government Elections were constitutionally due before the end of this year.

It became clear that the Commission would not have been in a state of readiness for the elections when the contracts for the Chief Election Officer and the Deputy Chief Election Officer were terminated earlier this year.

Four months later, GECOM has only now started the process of finding their replacements.

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