Although the election result was seen by international observers to reflect the will of the people, in the weeks following the elections opposition supporters continued to mount violent demonstrations expressing doubts about the accuracy of the poll. These only began to be allayed when in April 2001 Jagdeo and Hoyte initiated a dialogue among parliamentarians and civil society on constitutional and electoral reform. However, this dialogue broke down in March 2002 over differences between PPP–Civic and PNCR on implementation of what had been agreed. The deadlock continued until late August 2002 when, at the government’s request, the Commonwealth Secretary-General appointed a special envoy, former Governor-General of New Zealand Sir Paul Reeves, to facilitate resumption of the dialogue between the opposing parties. During 2003 constructive dialogue proceeded between Jagdeo and the new opposition leader, Robert Corbin, political tension eased, and opposition members returned to parliament. During 2004, the constructive dialogue process wavered and the opposition’s parliamentary boycott was resumed for some time, before they returned to parliament on the basis of ‘selective engagement’. In relatively peaceful elections in August 2006, President Jagdeo and the PPP–Civic coalition were returned to power, with 36 seats and 54.6 per cent of the votes, while the PNCR–One Guyana coalition took 22 seats and 34.0 per cent of the votes and the newly constituted Alliance for Change – which enjoys support from East Indians and Afro- Guyanese – five seats and 8.1 per cent of the votes. Commonwealth observers present reported that the results reflected the wishes of the people. Former Prime Minister and President Janet Jagan died in March 2009. In the November 2011 elections PPP–Civic, led by Donald Ramotar, won 32 seats, receiving 48.6 per cent of the vote, one seat short of a parliamentary majority. The new coalition led by PNCR, A Partnership for National Unity, took 26 seats (40 per cent) and the Alliance for Change seven seats (10.3 per cent). Ramotar was sworn in as President. The Commonwealth observer team present found the elections to be well managed and generally peaceful. Gu y a n a Local government Ministry: Local Government and Regional Development Local government is provided for by the Municipal and District Councils Act 1988 and Local Government Act 1998, and it is enshrined in the constitution. The Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development is responsible for local government. There are ten regional development councils, seven municipalities and 65 neighbourhood democratic councils; as well as 75 Amerindian village councils. The municipalities and neighbourhood democratic councils have revenue-raising powers, and they receive transfers from national government. The regional development councils are responsible for health, education and agriculture support services; the neighbourhood democratic councils for waste collection and sanitation, roads, dams and markets; and the municipalities for drainage, irrigation, waste collection and infrastructure maintenance. Further information Government Information Agency: www.gina.gov.gy Commonwealth Secretariat: www.thecommonwealth.org Commonwealth Governance: www.commonwealthgovernance.org Governance institutions Commonwealth Governance Handbook 2013/14 171 Guyana Elections Commission: www.gecom.org.gy Office of the President: www.op.gov.gy Ministry of Legal Affairs: legalaffairs.gov.gy Ministry of Finance: www.finance.gov.gy Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce: www.mintic.gov.gy Bank of Guyana: www.bankofguyana.org.gy Association of Securities Companies and Intermediaries: www.gasci.com National Bureau of Standards: www.gnbsgy.org
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