Updated: APNU to contest local govt elections; parties to campaign separately- Granger

Last Updated on Saturday, 26 December 2015, 21:00 by GxMedia

PNCR Headquarters, Congress Place.

Chairman of A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), David Granger on Sunday said the opposition coalition would be contesting the Local Government Election as one grouping.

He disputed an earlier Demerara Waves Online News (www.demwaves.com) report that the Peoples National Congress Reform (PNCR) of which is leader would be going into the election alone.

“We are contesting as a partnership,” he said.

APNU has so far not issued a statement that it would be contesting the polls, but Granger pointed out that each party would be campaigning individually before launching their collective campaign.

“All five parties are launching their campaigns and we will launch a partnership campaign but each party is asked to work within its constituency,” he said.

The PNCR later reiterated in a brief statement that “The Peoples National Congress Reform-PNCR will be contesting Local Government Elections under the banner of A Partnership for National Unity-APNU. The PNCR has begun working with its constituents in preparations for Local Government Elections and the other parties in the Partnership have been encouraged to start working within their constituencies and with their constituents.”

Among APNU members is the Guyana Action Party (GAP) whose main constituency in the Rupununi, Granger said, was receiving support on the ground from the PNCR.

The PNCR announced that it was “in full campaign mode.” “The Party has formally launched its campaign for Local Government Elections,” said the PNCR in a statement.

The PNCR is the major partner in APNU, a parliamentary coalition of several parties, which commands 26 of the 65 seats in the National Assembly.

Winston Felix has been named Campaign Director and Regional and District Coordinators have been selected.

The PNCR said it was currently conducting a nationwide education initiative to get its campaign workers and supporters ready for the long delayed elections.

“The Party Activists are currently engaged in continuous registration, door–to–door mobilization and voter education,” stated the party.

This weekend party leaders were in the Pomeroon-Supenaam (Region2); Demerara-Mahaica (Region 4); Upper Takatu-Upper Essequibo (Region 9); and at Linden and Kwakwani in the Upper Demerara-Berbice (Region 10).

Hours before the PNCR made its announcement, one of that party’s Central Executive members- Clement Corlette- said it was also possible that the Peoples Progressive Party Civic (PPPC) could call early general and regional elections.

“While the next election due is Local Government Election, there are certain underpinnings the PPP is trying to measure right now and they are weighing in their minds seriously whether it should abandon the Local Government route and go straight to national election,” he told an East Coast Demerara Convention of the PNCR’s youth arm, the Guyana Youth and Student Movement (GYSM).

The PNCR executive member reasoned that President Donald Ramotar was being placed in a difficult position to either call early elections and reduce his term or rally out until another three years.