Minister of Local Government Ganga Persaud said the councillors of the Georgetown Municipality must first make a request to him before the ministry facilitates mayoral elections.
Although a bit tardy, the minister’s statement is a response to arguments that he and his immediate predecessor, Kellawan Lall, possessed the power to hold mayoral elections.
It was University of Guyana (UG) Registrar Vincent Alexander who told Stabroek News that though the government continues to criticize Georgetown Mayor Hamilton Green laws it passed since 2008 bestow upon its local government minister the ability to hold mayoral elections every year.
In 2008, the National Assembly voted unanimously in favour of the Local Authorities (Elections) (Amendment) Bill, which postponed local government elections until December 1, 2009. What was not unanimous though, was the government’s bid to include an amendment which made provision for elections for the post of mayor and deputy mayor within the local municipalities upon the request of the local government minister.
The opposition parties refused to support the amendment, arguing that it gave the minister too much power. But, thanks to its majority, the government passed the amendment in spite of the opposition’s arguments.
Alexander said it is this amendment which, since 2008, gave local government ministers the power to hold mayoral elections. To hold such elections, despite the result, would have been seen as an attempt to remedy what the government sees as Green’s inadequate leadership.
When this question was put to Persaud earlier this month he had said that he was not familiar
with the law being referred to, and therefore had to familiarise himself with the legislation before he gave a comment.
When contacted subsequently, the minister said he has been advised that local government ministers only have the power to facilitate mayoral elections, and that a request for such elections, outside of local government elections, had to be initiated by the councillors of a given municipality.
He added though, that the minister can write to each municipality asking if they are desirous of having such elections held. Outside of the above described situation, he said, the minister can only move to have mayoral elections without the request of a municipality’s councillors if the relevant positions are abdicated for whatever reason.
The post for Mayor of Georgetown remains filled, Persaud, said, and he added that until local government elections are held he has no power to hold mayoral elections for Georgetown until it is requested by the municipality councillor. Since the majority of Georgetown’s councillors have defended Green on many occasions, it is unlikely that a successful call will be made to have him removed.
