Local Government training
Ministry of Communities, October 31, 2018
Over one hundred participants are to benefit from several training programs to be rolled out over the next four days by the Ministry of Communities.
Deputy Permanent Secretary (DPS) within the Ministry of Communities Jaigobin Jaisingh said the training is the first of its kind to be hosted since the return of Local Government Elections in 2016.
DPS Jaigobin noted that the training is aimed at preparing Municipal Town Clerks and Oveseers of Neighbourhood Democratic Councils to understand the amendments to the legislation published in the Official Gazette, which outlines the roles and functions of the Town Clerks and Overseers after the Guyana Elections Commission announces the 2018 Local Government Elections results.
Suzanne Bullen, Attorney-at-Law and Legal Officer at the Ministry of Communities who is officiating over the first training exercise, explained that participants will be sensitised as to what happens after the declaration of the results by the Guyana Elections Commission and in the event of a tie.
She noted that previously if there were ties for Mayor, Deputy Mayor or NDC Chairman after the declaration of the Elections then the tie-breaking decision would rest with the Minister of Communities.
Bullen explained that given the Political implications of such a decision it was decided that changes be made to the legalisation for the process to be more independent; as such it is now the responsibility of the councils within the Local Government Areas.
The DPS also noted that according to the laws published in Chapters 28.01 and 28.02 of the Local Government Act, in the election of Mayors and Deputy Mayors for Municipalities, Chairmen and Vice-Chairmen for National Democratic Councils across the country, a representative of the Guyana Elections Commission will instruct participants how to calculate the proportional representations to be tabulated.
The (DPS) also disclosed that the staff of the Ministry of Communities’ Department of Local Government were invited to sit in on the training session, since they will be officially engaging the Neighbourhood Democratic Councils and Municipalities.
These training exercises will be conducted for the Overseers and Town Clerks in the Barima-Waini, Demerara-Mahaica, Pomeroon-Supenaam, Essequibo Islands West-Demerara and East Berbice -Coryentyne Municipal and Neighbourhood Democratic Councils Districts.