Berbice: The United States Agency for International Development (USAID), through the International Republican Institute (IRI), recently launched the first in a series of town-hall meetings on Local Government Elections in Rose Hall, Berbice.
The meeting was held at the St Francis Community Development Complex. The aim of the session was to educate persons about their rights and responsibilities as voters and inform them about the functions of local government, the voting process, and voters’ eligibility requirements among others.
In an interview with Guyana Times, Glenn Bradbury, Chief of Party of the Leadership and Democracy Programme, who was also the facilitator of the meeting, said that this was the first of a series of town-hall meetings that will be held across Guyana. He noted that the meetings seek to educate and sensitise the public on local government. He further stressed the importance of holding Local Government Elections.
“It’s an important level of Government, because it deals with people’s daily lives, in their communities so whenever they are held, people should be prepared to come out and use their democratic right to elect the people they wish to govern their community, so it is important given the role of local government in those communities – what their responsibilities are – that citizens have that ability to have that level of Government to look after their communities and those needs,” he said.
Empowered
Detailed information was disseminated on local government, its functions and the structure. The meeting further highlighted the eligibility of voters, their responsibilities as well as the voting process. Those in attendance were residents of Rose Hall Town and its environs, notably present were a lot of youths who expressed gratitude to USAID for the opportunity to be educated on local government. They related to Guyana Times that they were now empowered to make better decisions and now knew that their votes can make a difference. They also expressed a desire for more ventures of this nature so that people can be educated on local government.
The meetings are part of the USAID’s Leadership Education and Democracy Project (LEAD). Only last week, US Embassy Charge d’Affaires Bryan Hunt said that the USAID and IRI were currently in dialogue with a wide cross-section of stakeholders to implement the programme’s activities in key areas.
Hunt told Guyana Times that the implementation process is being undertaken in active partnership with a variety of national institutions, including the National Assembly, the Guyana Elections Commission, the Women and Gender Equality Commission, various youth organisations and civil society. He said the programme, on August 15, held consultations with Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) that are interested in providing information on civic education and Local Government Elections.
Work plan
According to Hunt, sessions with civil society will include the town-hall public meetings, which will be conducted throughout September in selected communities in Guyana. The US Embassy Charge d’Affaires said following formal consultation with the parliamentary leadership, an initial activity work plan has been developed. In accordance with that plan, the USAID LEAD Programme has undertaken preparatory work to provide assistance in maximising the benefits of the Parliament’s redesigned website, enhancing parliamentary structures, and strengthening legislative processes.
He stated that formal seminars, workshops, and training in these and other areas will follow in due course. After months of stalemate and controversy, the Government of Guyana finally agreed to the full implementation of the LEAD Project.
The Guyana Government had publicly chastised the US for pursuing the LEAD Project despite its strong objections. The Government had posited that the project’s design and implementation was unacceptable and that the action taken by former US Ambassador D Brent Hardt was a clear departure from protocols and conventions governing inter-state relations, and deserved full condemnation. But despite the criticism, the US Ambassador had claimed that the project had as its main concern, the interest of the Government and the people of Guyana.
Cabinet Secretary, Dr Roger Luncheon had said that a mutually acceptable agreement had been reached, putting to rest the concerns of Government over the project’s initial design and implementation.
He said Government was keen, from the outset, on ensuring that Guyana and Guyanese were not robbed of the opportunity to exploit the benefits that could be derived from the project. Hunt, who had attended the joint press conference to announce the decision in mid-August of this year, had explained that the project would not engage or provide assistance to political parties and their representatives in any shape or form. Hunt made it clear that the project was geared toward creating inclusive governance and allowing civil society stakeholders to shape and fashion the democratic structures and brand of democracy for their country.
You must be logged in to post a comment.