PPP/C hits the campaign trail
THE PPP/C hits the campaign trail today with a grand rally at Albion, in the Region Six (East Berbice/ Corentyne) area where among featured speakers will be President Bharrat Jagdeo and his proposed successor, Mr. Donald Ramotar. The event is billed to take place at Albion Road, just outside the entrance to the Sports Complex.
According to campaign spokesman, Agriculture Minister, Mr. Minister Robert Persaud, the party’s support machinery is fully mobilized.
“The messages during our campaigns are clear: We are promoting national unity and togetherness,” he said. “We will not descend into intimidation to create confrontation as we have seen other parties do.”
At the rally, the ruling party is expected to lay out its plans for the governing of the country for the next five-year period.
And while it is yet unclear whether any big announcement will be made at today’s event, which is slated to commence at 14:00h, chances are it could happen as early as next Sunday when another grand rally is scheduled for the Kitty Market Square.
The PPP/C has started to lay the groundwork with a view to capturing the most votes at the upcoming general elections, the date of which, believed to be around the end of November, is yet to be announced.
President Jagdeo, speaking to reporters at the Conference Centre last Thursday said he was yet to hear from the Guyana Elections Commission as to their earliest readiness date for the holding of elections. The President is expected to make an announcement on the date of elections after he hears from GECOM.
Today’s event promises live entertainment and rich cultural performance by a number of local artistes, and it is expected that thousands of people will turn up to hear from Jagdeo and Ramotar among the other exciting speakers.
As to how some of the other parties are faring, Alliance for Change (AFC) Presidential Candidate, Mr. Khemraj Ramjattan, in an invited comment noted the meetings held by the AFC to date have been encouraging, as the party continues with its campaigns.
Asked specifically about what he thought of the performance of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), Ramjattan said the work done is satisfactory and the Preliminary List of Elections that has been developed is one that Guyanese can be proud of.
“GECOM is doing a good job,” he said.
Ramjattan also responded to claims of a leadership tussle within the party, making it clear that there was none.
“The AFC does not have leadership struggles; we are gaining support as we work together for change,” he said.
Meanwhile, A Partnership for National Unity (APNU)  has taken to engaging the media twice weekly in an effort to keep the wider public updated, and what it’s saying is that  under the leadership of their presidential candidate, Brigadier David Granger, and coalition leaders, the party will implement proven solutions to address crime and other problems plaguing the country.
Some 17 political parties are expected to contest the 2011 elections. Elections constitutionally have to be held before December 28, and GECOM has set November 14h as the date when they will be ready.
The Constitution and the Representation of the People Act makes provisions for the election of members of the National Assembly (unicameral legislature) under a system of Proportional Representation.
The National Assembly has a total of 65 members. Twenty-five are elected from the ten (10) geographical constituencies, and 40 are awarded at the national level on the basis of block votes secured.
Seats are reserved specifically for women (gender) as prescribed by the Elections Laws (Amendment) Act. Under gender representation, 33% of the seats of the national top-up list are reserved for women. The Elections Laws (Amendment) Act No. 15 of 2000 provides for each party’s national top-up list to have a minimum of one-third females of the total number of persons on the list of each respective party.
Seats are awarded to the political parties contesting the elections on the basis of an Electoral Quota – the total number of valid votes cast divided by the number of seats contested determines seat allocation as provided for by Elections Laws (Amendment) Act.