Ali rules out early general election

Last Updated on Sunday, 10 April 2022, 13:03 by Denis Chabrol

President Irfaan Ali on Sunday virtually ruled out calling early general and regional elections but indicated that it was ready for Local Government Elections whenever the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) is ready.

“You must remember we are not like other countries. We only have two terms. Allow the government to make full use of its term,” he said. The President, Vice President and several other ministers have been on a constant fan-out across Guyana since returning to office in August, 2020.

However, Dr. Ali said his party was ready for Local Government Elections last held in 2018

“We are ready for local government election anytime,” he said. The election for the town and neighbourhood councils should have been held in 2020 but was pushed back because of general and regional election in March of that year and subsequently a protracted process to remove Chief Election Officer Keith Lowenfield, Deputy Chief Election Officer Roxanne Myers, Region Four Returning Officer Clairmont Mingo and a number of other staff members.

People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) Leader, Aubrey Norton has also been leading party delegations to community meetings mostly in in their traditional strongholds.