Minister of Communities Ronald Bulkan has described the $2.9 billion budgetary allocation to the Guyana Elections Commission (Gecom) for the holding of Local Government Elections as the government’s unequivocal commitment to ensuring there is democratic governance.
Speaking at a press conference at the Herdmanston Lodge yesterday, Bulkan noted that improving the local democratic organs is critical as they are responsible for delivering on behalf of the residents of communities they represent. To this end, he said his ministry will continue the public education on how local democracy works as there are still many with the mindset that it is central government’s responsibility to discharge certain services to communities when in fact it is the local democratic organs.
The holding of local government elections this year will represent, according to the ministry, the first time in the country’s post-independence history that consecutive local government elections would have been held within the legal timeframe.
