The Opposition yesterday accused the Government of carrying out an unnecessary "witch hunt" which has resulted in the postponement of Local Government elections for a second time.

The Opposition made the accusations after Minister of Local Government and Environment, Dean Peart, in opening the debate on the two bills to postpone the elections, said the Government's decision would allow for completion of internal audits of the parish councils and to implement Local Government reform.

"(With) the need to complete the audits of all local authorities and take appropriate remedial actions, the Government is proposing that the Local Government elections be postponed for a maximum period of one year, and that they be held on a date not later than December 31, 2007," Peart said.

But Opposition Spokesperson on Local Government, Shahine Robinson, rejected the reasons, and said the Government was seeking to carry out a "witch-hunt" of the parish councils through the audits.

Sabotage the Council

"Mr. Speaker, if the intention of this bill is to emasculate, undermine and sabotage the council, we on this side will take any legal means necessary to inform the public and engage them that this is what is happening," she said.

Opposition MP Audley Shaw charged that the reasons given by the Government were "lame excuses," and said that the Government was scared of losing an election before the general elections and further wanted to continue its "victimisation".

This is the second time the Government has brought bills to the House to postpone Local Government elections, which were constitutionally due between March 1 and June 30 this year.

But despite the objections to the postponement, the Opposition did not call a divide on the bills, which were eventually passed after more than four hours of debate.