The electorate that has the last word

Dear Editor,

Just when Guyanese were beginning to feel that we already have our fair share of political parties to contest the upcoming general and regional elections, another political party has emerged, the People’s Republic Party.

Led by men and women of the cloth, the party has indicated that it is founded on, and guided by, ‘godly principles’ and has as one of its major platform the stamping out of corruption which it regarded as a major contributory factor to our underdevelopment.

I have no problem with any individual or group who may wish to compete in the electoral race. My only concern is whether or not they could garner enough support to meet the requirements of the List come Nomination Day.

One possible way out of this problem is to revert to the days when individuals and parties have to make a financial deposit ahead of the elections, reimbursable on condition that they garner a minimum number of votes as determined by the Elections Commission. This may not be a feasible proposition at this time but it may be something worth considering in future elections.

One advantage of such a requirement is that it eliminates from the race parties with little or no popular support and whose only contribution is to make the electoral process more complicated and cumbersome.

Make no mistake. This coming election is a straight fight between the PPP/C and the APNU-AFC. That has historically been the case and there is no indication that this trend of voting behaviour will be any different this time around. There is not much electoral space, in my view, for new parties, however well-intentioned, to make any significant impact on the electorate.

By my count, there are over a dozen political parties, either singly or in partnership that have indicated an interest in contesting the elections. It is doubtful that all will succeed in making it to nomination day set for January 10, 2020.

For those who do make it, I wish them all well. In the final analysis, it is the electorate that has the last word, provided of course that the votes are all counted in a free and fair contest.

Hydar Ally