There should be local government elections before general elections

Dear Editor,

The whole sordid affair that took place over the weekend at the PNC Congress serves as a reminder that our political leaders are failing the people and are afraid to embrace the tenets of what true democracy is all about. How else could one describe the internal jiggery-pokery and shenanigans to subvert a democratic process that took place at Congress Place or the ruling government’s brazen unwillingness to call a date for crucial democratic local government elections?

Now we are being bamboozled and distracted by a ‘No-Confidence’ motion. This is supposed to be the panacea for all our troubles. Go to general elections and elect from the same crop of politicians. Well, I personally want to see local government elections conducted before any talk of general elections. I want to see the same vigour that our opposition is displaying when leading the charge for a no-confidence motion applied to the call for local government elections (LGE).

LGE gives the people of Guyana the best chance to start taking ownership of their communities and what matters most to them. The local level is closer to home for citizens and the consequence of effective local governance has a sharper impact on their survival and prosperity.

Call local government elections now!

Yours faithfully,
Michael Leonard
Blue CAPS