Opposition Leader nominates members for local gov’t commission

Last Updated on Friday, 7 February 2025, 0:54 by Writer

Opposition Leader, Aubrey Norton has nominated three persons to sit on the Local Government Commission (LGC) whose life expired almost one year ago, according to correspondence between government and the opposition.

The life of the last LGC came to an end in April, 2024, but it was not until January 8, 2025, that the Guyana government invited the Opposition Leader to submit nominees to President Irfaan Ali after consulting with other opposition parties.

On January 21, Mr Norton submitted the names of Sherwin Benjamin, Joan Ramscindo and Nicole Trotman. Mr Benjamin is the General Secretary of Mr Norton’s People’s National Congress Reform. Ms Ramscindo and Ms Trotman were members of the last LGC.

Ms Ramscindo is a longtime PNCR member and Ms Trotman was nominated by the AFC.

Former Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica) Chairman, Clement Corlette has been effectively replaced by Mr Benjamin.

Opposition A Partnership for National Unity+Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) parliamentarian, Ganesh Mahipaul emphasised the importance of reconstituting the LGC to remove the possibility of the Local Government Minister making decisions such as hiring and disciplinary action, including dismissal of workers in the local democratic organs (LDOs). “The presence of a commission, now, presents greater transparency in decision-making with staffing at these LDOs and it gives the commission a board to make the decisions as opposed to the minister or the interference of the ministry,” he told Demerara Waves Online News.

Disclosure of the names of the nominees was done through the release of the correspondence after Local Government Minister, Sonia Parag earlier this week told the National Assembly’s Committee of Supply for the 2025 budgeted expenditures that the opposition had failed to respond to an invitation by government to submit nominees.

“MP Mahipaul vehemently dismissed this claim, stating that the Leader of the Opposition had indeed responded. Furthermore, he noted that Ms. Singh from the Office of the President subsequently called to acknowledge receipt of the letter and also requested the CVs of the nominees,” he told the House.