Norton wants Mohamed to reconsider nominees to Local Government Commission after APNU candidates ignored

Chairman of the opposition, A Partnership for National Unity and Leader of the People’s National Congress, Aubrey Norton, has blasted Opposition and WIN Party Leader, Azruddin Mohamed, over his decision to ignore the nominees of the APNU to the Local Government Commission after seeking the party’s input.

In a letter to the Opposition Leader on Wednesday, Mr. Norton recalled that he received a letter from the Opposition Leader requesting that he submits nominees to be considered for the Local Government Commission. In responding to that request, the APNU submitted the names of Ronald Daniels and Joan Ramaschindo.

News Source understands that a similar letter was sent by the Opposition Leader to the Leader of the Forward Guyana Movement, Amanza Walton.

Mr. Norton said he was surprised to learn through media reports that after submitting nominees, the Opposition Leader went ahead and submitted the names of two of his party representatives and the name of a representative of the Forward Guyana Movement for the three seats on the Local Government Commission.

In demanding a reconsideration of the nominees for the three seats, the APNU Chairman reminded that the APNU holds 12 seats in the National Assembly, compared with 16 seats held the WIN party and 1 seat held by the Forward Guyana Movement.

He said taking into account that the APNU currently has elected Councillors serving in various Local Government organs, “fairness and political proportionality should prevail in the selection of the nominees”.

Norton griped that it is “difficult to understand and “unacceptable” that a party with 12 Members of Parliament and an established local government presence could be completely excluded from the three nominees for the Local Government Commission, particularly after its recommendations were specifically sought.

He said such actions also send a signal of a fractured opposition, and undermines their collective ability to effectively hold the Government accountable and ensure the quality of governance that the people of Guyana deserve.

“APNU’s position is clear. With 12 seats in the National Assembly and elected councillors across the local government system, APNU has a legitimate and compelling claim to at least one seat on the Local Government Commission. We therefore demand that this matter be reconsidered and that APNU be appropriately represented among the nominees”, Norton wrote.

Opposition Leader, Azruddin Mohamed and his WIN party have been pressing the Commissioners on the Guyana Elections Commission, who were nominated by previous Opposition Leaders from Norton’s party, to vacate their seats and allow his nominees to be appointed to the Commission as a reflection of the new make up of the National Assembly following the last elections.

The GECOM Commissioners have refused to resign, and Norton has defended their decision while stating that the GECOM Commissioners can only be removed if there is a change in the law or if they choose to resign.

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