THE Prime Minister has rejected claims from the Opposition UNC and others that there was a crisis because local government elections have not been held. Dr Rowley announced the elections will be held within three months of May 18.
This is the date when the Privy Council ruled that the decision to extend the life of local government corporations by a year was unlawful.
On Monday, the House of Representatives will meet to approve legislation to validate acts of local government corporations between December and May 18 – the period during which the extension was in effect.
Once this legislation is approved, the election date will be announced.
Rowley made these statements when he addressed the House on Wednesday.
In its judgment, the Privy Council said the extension of the life of local government bodies was unlawful. But it did not deem the extension a constitutional breach or that it deprived people of the right to vote.
Rowley said on Wednesday that Government accepted the judgment and will call an election in accordance with the procedure in the Municipal Corporations Act and the Representation of the People Act.
President Christine Kangaloo, he continued, acting on the Cabinet's advice, in accordance with Section 81 of the Constitution, will issue a writ to set the stage for holding the elections.
Rowley agreed with Attorney General Reginald Armour, SC, that the validity of councillors and aldermen and the operations of local government corporations is covered by the De Facto Officers Doctrine.
In the Senate on Tuesday, Armour said that doctrine validated actions of the officers "duly elected and continued to be duly elected until the decision of the Privy Council."
Rowley observed that the UNC "and some elements in the media," still accused Govermment of breaching citizens' constitutional rights after the Privy Council made its judgment.
"To this, the Government pleads not guilty," he said to loud desk-thumping from government MPs.
Referring to the High Court and Court of Appeal judgments which preceded the Privy Council's ruling, Rowley said, "This is the proof that our legal and protection systems worked, and at no time did the Government act with impunity or wanton disregard for our laws."
He added that Goverment did not act "with any malicious intent towards citizens and their rights."
Rowley said the Privy Council decision made one thing clear.
"We see a change, not a crisis, and there is definitely no need for the mayhem, sackcloth and ashes that some desire," he said.
Rowley described local government reform as "an elusive dream of this nation for decades."
He referred to steps Government had taken since 2020 to make this dream a reality.
Despite the UNC's lack of support for those efforts, Rowley said, Government believes a modernised local government system was in the public's best interest.
While some of the reforms could be described as novel and far-reaching, Rowley said they were intended to ensure a smooth transition from the old system to the new one.
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