…PM says Guyanese more conscious of needs of communities

AMID concerns about voter turnout at Monday’s Local Government Elections, Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo who is performing duties as President said Guyanese are more conscious of their civic duty and the needs of their communities.

He made the remarks shortly after casting his vote at the National Aquatic Centre, Liliendaal where he told reporters that the Coalition Government has introduced two local government elections in just three years compared to two in the previous fifty years. “I feel there is a new consciousness arising in Guyana, a consciousness that is coming from bottom up, which is good for Guyana, which is good for the health of democracy that more people at the grassroots are conscious of their responsibilities as citizens,” he noted.

He said while there were no hiccups reported to him on the part of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), reports received, however, have indicated that “voting was slow but steady.”

“I receive the report also that it is not a heavy stream of voters turning up as you would have had in a National Elections. The turnout is steady, people are leaving their work to come to vote and then go back to their work places,” he said.

Looking for strong leaders

He had anticipated, however, that the pace would pick up before the close of polls at 18:00hrs. Nagamootoo said people are conscious of their civic duty to vote, and are more aware of the needs of their communities. “I believe that most people are now, more than ever, conscious about the needs of their own communities and they are looking towards leaders who will sit in their councils,” he said.

The prime minister said based on his interaction on the ground, residents are calling for better infrastructure such as roads and drains, street lights, market facilities, playground and community centres. “They want cleaner burial grounds. Most of the burial grounds are not being kept by the local authorities and they become dumping grounds for garbage, and this has been the pattern through the country and so people are now more conscious about the sanitation issues and they are asking that the councils that they will put in office now, that they will pay attention,” he added.

Impressive system

Public Infrastructure Minister David Patterson, who voted at the Bel Air Lion’s Club, told the Guyana Chronicle that he was impressed with the system. According to him, the GECOM staffers were much organised.

“Countrywide we are not having any particular issues at all. This morning, there were the usual issues with polling agents going in, some of them would not have had their letters or cards, or either one or two, but thankfully, GECOM was able to sort that out,” he said.
Patterson, like Nagamootoo, expressed concern over the rate at which persons were turning up to vote. He said once the elections are over, the elected leaders must hit the ground running.

“From tomorrow you go back to the notes you have been receiving during your walkabouts and prioritise them, so you know what the highest priority is for the community and then go about trying to achieve it. I know most persons may think that they don’t have money, and they start off making excuses initially but that’s not it, you go and you make representation for your NDC or municipality, don’t sit back and wait on anyone, don’t sit back and wait on Central Government to come and do it for you, you have to be the advocate for your community,” he said.

Polling agents
Alliance for Change (AFC) Executive Member, Michael Leonard, told the Guyana Chronicle that though the process of voting in this year’s Local Government Elections was generally smooth, there were some reported hiccups shortly before and after the opening of polls.
“In some isolated areas you have issues where presiding officers were not completely sure of what to do. Some of them requesting letters from polling agents, where as you don’t need the letters you just need the badge, and some of them are telling persons that they can’t enter and all of that,” Leonard explained. He said the returning officer was quick to intervene and the issues were resolved.

Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) Opposition Leader nominated Commissioner, Sase Gunraj, told the Guyana Chronicle that there were some teething problems reported, however, they were resolved within hours.
“For example, some of the electors were complaining about the ink on their figures. Some people were complaining that the ink on their figures was not dark enough, they were not seeing it, there were concerns of it being wiped out,” he said, while standing outside of the Rama Krishna Primary School. A similar concern was raised by another GECOM Commissioner, Robeson Benn.

Indelible ink
GECOM Public Relations Officer (PRO), Yolanda Ward, while at the Aquatic Centre, told reporters that she had not received reports of voters’ intimidation in Whim/Bloomfield. However, she subsequently told this newspaper that based on initial investigation; PPP/C supporters in the area were telling other voters how to vote. The matter is being investigated.

In the case of the concern raised by the GECOM commissioner, Ward expressed disappointment, noting that the officials who have raised these concerns, have voted previously on several occasions and understand that the ink brightens with time.
“We are talking about indelible ink, and you can do the test for yourself. When you put your finger in that ink it comes out very light as a light purple and within minutes it gets very dark. It will get dark,” the GECOM PRO explained.

She expressed confidence that GECOM Secretariat procured the highest quality of ink for the Local Government Elections.

Collins pleased
At the Redeemer Primary School, A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) Constituency Three Candidate, Astell Collins, said he pleased with the level of work done in the lead up to the elections, and now leaves it up to the voters.

“What I believe has happened in Campbellville, there is a resurrection of a community spirit. We have done so much with no resource but we have become resourceful as a people and as a community and we have really made a statement to the rest of the country that yes, together we can do anything, so we have cleared one of the main canals, put on light, and that was with no resources, there was a community spirit that came together and made the resources,” he explained. He is optimistic that this revolution of transformation will continue.

Deputy Mayor of the City of Georgetown Akeem Peters said the APNU has done its work. “We have placed a lot of work into constituency Five over the past couple of months and we are hopeful that the amount of works that we placed, that it pays off.”