Local Government Minis-ter Norman Whittaker declined to answer why government yesterday held a seminar on the role of elected officials in local development when it has not convened Local Government Elections for the past 20 years and has not moved to do so recently despite there being no confirmed impediments.
Stabroek News asked Whittaker at the Caribbean Local Economic Development (CARILED) project-sponsored seminar held at the Regency Hotel, Hadfield Street, how the government would respond to criticism that while it refuses to call local government elections after 20 years, it was sponsoring a seminar based on the responsibilities of elected officials in local development.
An agitated Whittaker stated that this issue has been addressed at the level of President Donald Ramotar and the Cabinet and has been formally dealt with publicly. “I will not add to it and I will not subtract from it,” he added.
It was pointed out to him that despite the government and the ruling People’s Progressive Party saying that the Guyana Elections Commission is not ready nor is the public knowledgeable enough for elections to be held, these claims have been denounced by both GECOM and analysts. Whittaker responded that the questions posed by
