THE proverbial bell has been sounded for the homestretch leading up to the May 11 General and Regional Elections; and out of the 11 parties that initially expressed interest in contesting these elections, the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) has counted eight political contenders in the running.

By all accounts and historical underpinnings, the two major political contenders are the incumbent People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) and the coalesced A Partnership for National Unity and the Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC).

The other parties submitting their National Top-up List, Geographical Constituencies List, and Regional Democratic Council Lists included: The United Force (TUF); the Healing The Nation Theocracy Party (HTNT); the United Republican Party (URP); the Independent Party (IP); the Organisation for the Victory of the People (OVP); and the National Independence Party (NIP).

The Guyana Small Man Party, Guyana National Congress and the Liberation Party did not make the 6:00pm deadline to enter a bid for the national leadership posts that are up for grabs.

Last time around, on October 27, 2011, some 32 parties had expressed their intention to make a bid, with only seven making their submissions to the Guyana Elections Commission’s (GECOM) Chief Elections Officer (CEO).
PPP/C, APNU, AFC, TUF, as well as the East Berbice Development Association (EBDA), Fundamental Structure Group (FSG) and Horizon and Star were the parties that submitted their lists of candidates. The latter three have not been heard from since.

WINNING LIST
During yesterday’s Nomination Day, TUF was the first party to make its presentation, then the atmosphere became filled with a tangible enthusiasm as the leadership and members of the PPP/C made their way up the refurbished stairs of City Hall, with hundreds of supporters who rallied around the party’s leadership lining Regent Street.

His Excellency President Donald Ramotar, incumbent President and current PPP/C Presidential Candidate, said in an invited comment: “It is a winning list.”
He added, “Nominations Day is here…everything will be now much more open to the Guyanese, they will have a chance to examine our list of candidates…very important is that the public has these materials in front of them.

“We are confident that the PPP/C has the best manifesto and the best list. Promises have been made out there all the time, but we have been making great efforts at creating the social and physical infrastructure to take our country to higher places.”

The President said the aim of the PPP/C is to win a majority in the National Assembly, as this would allow the Party to advance programmes, policies and legislation to improve the lives of all Guyanese.

“When I get the majority this time, we will grow…we will provide a much better quality of life for the Guyanese people. We are not promising to buy the sky. Our promises are realistic…we’re identifying sources of finances; the country will have a great future with the PPP/C in government,” President Ramotar posited.

The PPP/C Prime Ministerial Candidate, Mrs Elisabeth Harper, echoed similar sentiments: “It is an inclusive list,” she told the Chronicle.

Having followed the PPP/C Presidential and Prime Ministerial candidates and other party members from Freedom House, the enthused procession made its way back to the party’s headquarters for a rally.

Hundreds have been included on the PPP/C list of candidates in respect to its National Top-up List, Geographical Constituencies List, and Regional Democratic Council Lists, which included dozens of new faces.

APNU+AFC

New faces were also noted in the large contingent from the APNU+AFC Alliance, which marched from the Square of the Revolution to City Hall.

Presidential Candidate for this (APNU+AFC) Alliance, Brigadier (rtd) David Granger, boasted confidently about supporters included on the APNU+AFC list of candidates. “We have committed ourselves to competence and balance…We have a list that is going to move this country forward,” he stressed.

After that alliance had submitted its lists, the APNU+AFC procession moved onto Parade Ground for a Unity Rally, where Granger’s running mate, Moses Nagamootoo, touted the success of the coalition.

He said the Nomination Day milestone is evidence of the fact that there will be ‘no divorce’ between APNU and AFC.

The political alliance between the two parties was inked on February 14 and detailed in the historic Cummingsburg Accord. Going into the coalition negotiation with APNU, the AFC controlled 21 per cent of the combined Opposition seats in Parliament, but came out with a guarantee of 40 per cent of the Cabinet and at least 12 parliamentary seats, should they succeed at the May 11, 2015 General and Regional polls.

APNU held 79 per cent of the Opposition seats in the House going into the negotiation.

GECOM’S WORK
GECOM’s Chairman Dr Steve Surujbally, in an invited comment, noted that GECOM’s Chief Elections Officer Mr Keith Lowenfield and his team are an “exact” group who are committed to “ensuring that all the ‘t’s are crossed and the ‘i’s are dotted”.

“Positive,” he declared, when asked for his view of the day’s proceedings.

Dr Surujbally said there was a notable level of camaraderie among political contenders at yesterday’s Nomination Day event.

Looking forward, he said, “My swansong has always been: (a) that everyone accepts the results and (b) that there is peace.”

The Chronicle was also informed by a senior GECOM official that the lists are expected to be completely vetted by Thursday. “Once the lists have been checked, GECOM will be able to say who qualifies to contest, and we will publish those lists. We will be good to go.”

In accordance with the electoral system of Proportional Representation, in order to qualify for a seat in the National Assembly, contesting parties must contest a minimum of six (6) of the Geographical Constituencies — totalling at least 13 seats — for eligibility to contest and submit Geographical Constituencies Lists and National Top-up Lists. This arrangement will provide for qualified contesting parties to submit, on Nomination Day, two separate Lists of Candidates.

Any political party can contest the election of members of any of the 10 Regional Democratic Councils. For this purpose, a List of Candidates must be submitted on Nomination Day.

By Vanessa Narine

‘We are confident that the PPP/C has the best manifesto and the best list. Promises have been made out there all the time, but we have been making great efforts of creating the social and physical infrastructure to take our country to higher places’ – President Donald Ramotar
‘We have committed ourselves to competence and balance…We have a list that is going to move this country forward” – Brigadier (rtd) David Granger
‘My swansong has always been: (a) that everyone accepts the results and (b) that there is peace’ – GECOM Chairman Dr Steve Surujbally