There was anticipation that Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley would announce a set date for the Local Government Elections during a ministerial address in the House of Representatives on Wednesday, however he committed only to a promise that the date would be announced within three months.

Delivering a statement in the House of Representatives today, Dr. Rowley also said legislation will be brought to the Parliament to validate the work of the local government bodies between the period December 2022 and May 18, 2023- the date the Privy Council handed down its ruling.

During his statement, Dr. Rowley maintained that his government did not act with impunity or any malicious intent towards citizens and their rights when it extended the term of local government councillors and aldermen last year.

Commenting on last week’s ruling of the Privy Council regarding the government’s decision, the Prime Minister said it was not surprising that there was a split decision by the judges.

“Given the nature of the interpretation problem being grappled with, it was not surprising that there was a split decision at the Privy Council where Lords Richards, Reed and Hodge, paragraph 20: …on any footing, the absence of any detailed provisions concerning local government elections leads to the inevitable conclusion that a change in the length of the terms of office of incumbent Councillors and Aldermen cannot amount to a contravention of the Constitution. The term for which representatives have been elected is important but an increase by one year in the term of incumbent Councillors and Aldermen does not of itself breach any of provision of the Constitution,” he quoted from the judgment.

“All the way to the Privy Council, the Government and the legal luminaries viewed this entire matter as one of interpretation of an intent. It is important to note that up to Wednesday 17 th  May, 2022, the Government’s interpretation prevailed, supported by the reasoned decisions of our local Courts High Court and Appeal Court,” he added.