Jagdeo accuses Govt of attempting to tamper with upcoming LGE

Government has been accused of allegedly making attempts to tamper with the system in preparation for Local Government Elections (LGE) through the creation of new Local Government institutions.
Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo made this allegation, explaining that he has credible information which suggests that Government has been active on the ground, especially in the interior.
“We are very concerned with attempts to tamper with the [Neighbourhood Democratic Council] NDC’s Local Government bodies to gerrymander boundaries to suit [A Partnership for National Unity] APNU,” Jagdeo said on Thursday.
Jagdeo said he is not surprised by their action, reminding that the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) crushed both coalition parties; the APNU and the Alliance

For Change (AFC) in 2015.
“I’ve heard (Ronald) Bulkan, he’s been having discussions with GECOM (Guyana Elections Commission) now that they want to create 10 new Local Government bodies,” he told media operatives.
Back in 2016, Government had created three new towns; Mabaruma in Region One (Barima-Waini); Bartica in Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni); and Lethem in Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo). Minister Bulkan had also announced plans to make Mahdia a town.
This time around, the Government has been in discussion with the residents in Mahdia over those plans. “I think they’re going to go to places like Mahdia where they believe they’re strong and without any consultation, like they did with Lethem and with Mabaruma and Bartica,” he added.
The Opposition Leader explained that Government is targeting several areas, including NDCs, where they received that voted predominantly for the APNU in 2015.
“They want to gerrymander the boundaries by splitting an NDC like that, creating two new NDCs so they can win in these areas. That is what is happening now because they fear another crushing defeat,” referring to Amerindian titled villages like Campbell Town and Micobe in Mahdia.
Jagdeo argued that township holds no benefits for its citizens under the Administration. “There is no benefit to being part of a township under this Government because it doesn’t mean greater development, it just means more

taxes because then you are part of the tax base,” he said.
The creation of the new towns and NDCs were said to be a part of the Administration’s policy and vision of fostering national development via regional and local empowerment, given Central Government’s stated commitment to a philosophy of decentralised governance, but the PPP thinks otherwise.
The APNU/AFC suffered a crushing defeat in 2015 at LGE when the PPP received 30,000 more votes than both parties. The PPP also won 48 of the 65 NDCs and tied seven others. In summary, the party won or tied with 55 of the 65 areas that were contested. They also won three towns, except for the newly created ones.

Preparations
A few days ago, Minister Bulkan met with GECOM Chairman, retired Justice James Patterson over concerns that Government was still scrambling for the upcoming LGE which is slated to take place sometime in December. Patterson said he was concerned that the Government has not yet set a date.
On Wednesday Bulkan explained that the matter will be discussed again at Cabinet and a determination will be made on the date set for the polls. He reminded that it will be held within the prescribed constitutional time, which will be before December 7.
Bulkan also explained that GECOM has received direct funding from Government to the sum of $3.4 billion, which includes $500 million from last year. He said that Central Government is also making plans to ensure that the local organs are prepared as well and that a date could be announced by the President soon.
The Minister also noted that Government will begin its public education campaign on this election, especially as it relates to the constitutional and legal provisions for Local Democratic Organs (LDOs) on the authority and responsibilities; model and policy direction to empower LDOs to manage the economic space and develop in partnership with national Government.
Focus will also be placed on strengthening the Guyana Association Municipalities, the National Regional Development Consultative Committee (NRDCC), the Regional Development Consultative Committee (RDCC), and the Regional Agricultural and Commerce Exhibition (RACE), among others. After an absence of over two decades, local Government elections were last held in 2016.