Organisation of American States (OAS) Secretary General José Miguel Insulza last Thursday met with President Donald Ramotar in New York, within the framework of the 68th United Nations General Assembly.
During the meeting, the two discussed the importance of the electoral observation missions deployed by the organisation, the impact of climate change, trade policies in member states and the progress towards the Millennium Development Goals, among other issues.
Amid the uncertainty as to when local government elections would be held in Guyana, Ramotar’s discussion with the OAS head could be seen as a positive sign of things to come. Earlier this week, the ruling People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/ C) said it had been readying itself for the “impending” poll.
In a statement arising out of its recent Central Committee’s meeting, the PPP/ C said much emphasis was placed on putting the party into an election mode, especially in view of impending local government elections.
Local government elections were last held in 1994, but the recent passage of a suite of legislation critical to the holding of the elections under a reformed system has given citizens some hope.
However, since its passage in the National Assembly, the bills have been stuck at the attorney general’s office and up to last week, they had not reached the president for his assent.
Junior Local Government Minister Norman Whittaker said last week that the holding of local government elections remains top on the PPP/ C’s agenda. He pointed out that the Municipal and District Council’s Bill, the Fiscal Transfers Bill, the Local Government Commission Bill and the Local Government (Amendment) Bill, which were passed in the National Assembly, have been sent to the attorney general’s chambers by the clerk of the National Assembly Sherlock Isaacs.
The OAS has been monitoring national elections in Guyana for quite some time now. In its report following the 2011 general and regional elections, the mission notes the significant preparations made by the Guyana Elections Commission ahead of the election to develop procedures and systems that generated a generally inclusive and clean electoral process.
In particular, the mission commended the efforts to carry out the 2008 house-to-house registration of electors and its resulting enhancement of the credibility of the list of electors and electoral process as a whole.
This improvement over past elections comprises a significant step and was validated by the political parties contesting the presidential race.
