GUYANESE of different races exist peacefully with a high degree of mixing through shared values, economic partnership, religion, etc. If we did not, then every village would have had its own pot of ethnic boiling.
Ethnic insecurity will always come to the front when politicians and their supporters put aside issue and focus on personalities in their quest to enhance support. Insecurity and fear has been a powerful force that caused thousands of Guyanese to take up residence in other countries, living sometimes in horrible and disgraceful conditions. Whatever may be the conditions they feel safe.
As the process of our election campaign rolls on, ethnic tensions and insecurity are present. If those tensions are to be removed and citizens are to feel safe and want to be part of the electoral process, the emphasis must be placed on issues. However, the issues that should take centre stage in this election campaign are being placed on the backburner and there are clashes of personalities.
Politicians competing for political office will develop strategies to consolidate their support base and woo other voters.    In so doing there will be a lot of analysis, political, economic, social and financial issues that will be dealt with. This is good for politics and development. However, very often there are deviations from issues to personalities and character assassination.
Politics is about issues, about bread and butter, jobs, recreation, comfort and security etc.  It is about who can deliver. Who is the best person for the job, not the ethnicity or personality of  the candidate. Already we are hearing of which candidate can do what and which one cannot do what. 
We now call upon our political leaders to focus on issues rather than personalities.   As a people we feel insecure when we hear of Civil unrest, Riot Act, who has blood on their hand and who has blood on their head and feet. Because of our present political culture we mix a lot but deep down within us we harbour mistrust for each other. This leads to ethnic insecurity. To enhance ethnic security we call upon all our politicians to focus on issues and not personalities during the elections campaign. To do otherwise will cause ethnic insecurity that may very well prevent large Voters turnout on Election Day.