President extends councillors’ terms

The Act was passed by both Houses of Parliament last week to extend the life of councils in light of the postponement of this year’s local government elections.

Under the amendment, aldermen such as mayors and chairmen, will be selected by each council.

Yesterday, Minister of Local Government Rennie Dumas sent guidelines to each corporation to advise that councillors must be sworn in within ten days of the start of their new term.

His statement said: “The legislation therefore requires that the meeting of the council be held between July 14 2006 and July 24 2006.”

At such a meeting the councillors will first take their oaths of office and then elect aldermen, who will then take their oaths of office.

The head and deputy of each council — mayors and deputy mayors for municipal corporations, and chairmen and vice-chairmen for regional corporations — are to be elected and sworn in some three days after the election of the aldermen.