Ashni hilding up GECOM's funding

Breaking News:

$350 Million budgeted for the Guyana Elections Commission is being held up by the Ministry of Finance and as the Minister Dr. Ashni Singh continues to dance around the commissioners and other officials of GECOM.

Latest information reaching us is that the money is available and has been available since late last year and reappeared in this year’s budget estimates to be handed over to the Guyana Elections Commission.

The government’s refusal to hand this money over to the Commission could hinder two things, its preparations of Local Government Elections and General Elections.
We were told that the salaries of the Commissioners and other staff members have been secured as those are paid through a separate arrangements.

However, the salaries of hundreds of contracted workers are still to be paid.

Sources close to the Commission told us that Dr. Steve Surjubally, Chairman of GECOM is well aware of the government plans to frustrate the commission and has informed several of the donors in the form of letters of his frustration.

We are hell bent on finding a reason for this recent hold up of government funds to GECOM we are however convinced that there is more brewing in this pot that meets the eyes and ears.

Boycott looms for Guyana's 1st elections since '94

Boycott looms for Guyana's 1st elections since '94
(Associated Press)


GEORGETOWN, Guyana — Opposition leaders in this South American country threatened Thursday to boycott the first municipal elections in 16 years over a plan to give a government-dominated commission control over local affairs.

The government says the proposed seven-member commission would reduce the central government's power over cities, but critics note that the government would still appoint a majority of its members.

"We can't agree with this and are not prepared to work with this," said Oscar Clarke, general secretary of the main opposition People's National Congress.

Clarke said his party might boycott planned April elections if the government doesn't agree to give local governments greater control over their own affairs, such as helping decide how to allocate funds.

He complained that the current system gives the central government power to fire and hire key city staffers, as well as to withhold funds for municipalities and neighborhood councils.

The government has proposed the commission plan to parliament as an alternative.

Vishnu Persaud, Guyana electoral commission spokesman, said officials are planning elections for a still-unset date in mid-April to choose mayors and councilors of six towns and 65 rural districts.

Guyana has not elected mayors, district and village leaders since 1994, largely due to continuing disputes about how to update voter registration lists.

Disputes over voting lists also prompted delays in several recent presidential elections.

Plans to hold municipal elections last year were scrapped because officials said new voter cards based on updated lists were not yet ready and a redistricting project had not been completed.

Presidential and general elections are scheduled to be held next year.

Copyright © 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

Overseas vote

The filing of a Constitutional Motion maybe the next step to blocking Local and General Elections and securing an extension in the Presidential office for another two years. We have been reliability informed that two overseas based Guyanese are preparing to file this motion through some lawyers in the local courts. This motion seeks to have challenge the lack of system for overseas voting and among their arguments would be that they have been disenfranchised by lack of such a system.

The chief culprits behind this act?

1.The man who recently wrote an article in the Mirror about overseas based Guyanese need to vote is the one touted to be drafting the legal arguments.

2. The man who has been saying that he will never agree to a third term but whose emoluments have increased significantly and will continue to do so in the up coming years.

3. The power drunk visitor to Guyana who has been denying that he will stay in that office.

The repercussions ?

Well the Guyana Elections Commission will have to stall its programme for the holding of Local Government Elections until the Court matter has been heard.

It will also in the mean time to have start registration of overseas based Guyanese.

The Country will have to wait until that process is over before Local and General Elections could proceed.

Given our court system and the back log who knows when this matter will be heard !