President accepts Opp Leader’s nominations for LGC

It was the Leader of the Opposition’s nominations  to the President that saw the Local Government Commission being sworn in on Monday morning. The Commission has eight members, three are nominated by the President, three are nominated based on the advice  of the Leader of the Opposition, one person is nominated following the approval of the National Assembly and one person is nominated by the Minister of Local Government following consultations with the Local Democratic bodies.

Today, President Ali was asked whether his acceptance of the nominations from the Leader of the Opposition Joseph Harmon is an indication that Harmon recognises the Ali led government, “I don’t know,” Ali told the media at the side lines of the swearing in, “I did what I am required to do in accordance with the constitution and that is how I’ll operate,'” the Head of State said.

The President did not hold face to face consultations with the Leader of the Opposition for these nominations as he said the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance wrote the Leader of the Opposition and those names were submitted over the weekend.

The President is on the record saying that he will not meet with the Leader of the Opposition until he, Mr Harmon and the APNU-AFC Coalition recognises his government as legitimately elected.
“Mr Harmon has consistently repeated since our last conversation the same narrative about his feelings of the government so that hasn’t changed in any way, shape and form,” Ali said, “He has responded to me in accordance to what is required in the constitution but as I said he has not changed his position up to recently.”

The Head of State said that he remains committed to engaging every Guyanese and stakeholder.

On Monday, former Local Government Ministers Clinton Collymore and Norman Whittaker and Former Town Clerk Carol Sooba, all the president’s nominees took the oath. This was followed by the Leader of the Opposition’s nominees Joan Ann Romanscido, Former Region Four Chairman Clement Corlette and Nicola Trotman taking the oath. Trade Unionist Carvil Duncan whose name was approved by the National Assembly and Former Region Three Chairman Julius Faerber, who was appointed by the Local Government Minister were also sworn in.