Today, Guyanese will vote in general and regional elections, which is the fifth free and fair one in our post-independence era with the one in 1992 bringing an end to a nearly three-decade dark period of rigged elections.
From all indications, the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) seems to have all systems in place, but like all national elections there may be minor glitches which should not have any major impact on the fairness and integrity of the elections.
As in previous elections, we have the presence of international and local observer teams which most Guyanese would welcome as their presence would boost the confidence of the electorate and help ensure that there are no irregularities during polling and if there are they  could so pronounce. It will be recalled that international observer missions played an instrumental role in the crucial and pivotal 1992 elections which closed the curtains on fraudulent elections.
What most Guyanese are hoping for is that, like the 2006 elections, the elections and post-elections period would be peaceful and incident free and the losers would be gracious in defeat, because on many occasions in the past, it was the indifference of losing parties which contributed to ugly aftermath situations,
However, President Bharrat Jagdeo and the Home Affairs Minister have both given the assurance that measures and systems are in place to deal appropriately with trouble makers and those who may want to engage in violence. This certainly will be welcomed by all Guyanese who have the interest of the country at heart.
This election has brought some newness compared to previous elections which may have a positive or negative outcome to the electoral process which can only be determined with time.
One of the new developments is that for the first time in this era of elections there has been a coalition force comprising the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR), and a host of mainly paper parties with the sole objective of removing the incumbent party. This approach no doubt has been influenced to a large extent by the success of coalition politics elsewhere, notably in Trinidad and Tobago.
Another development has been the significant political cross-overs and while this has gone either way, the incumbent party has been able to attract much more than its rivals.
Also, the incumbent party saw one of its stalwarts of nearly five decades, Moses Nagamootoo, leaving and going over to the Alliance For Change (AFC). This was a decision perhaps stemming from his bitterness at not becoming the presidential candidate for the PPP/C. Whether this would enhance or bring an end to his illustrious political career is left to be seen. The outcome of this election will be a major factor as it seems that the incumbent party could be returned with an even bigger majority this time around.
However, by now most voters should have been decided on the presidential candidate and party they will vote for after asking themselves several questions. These questions should have included: Are they satisfied with the way country has been governed and managed over the past five years? Which party has the best plans to take the country forward for the next five years and further ahead? Which party has the best track record of resilience and dedication to addressing people’s problems and needs? And which party has stood beside them in the good and bad times?
The answers to the above questions should be a good guide for the electorate to decide which party should govern the affairs of their country over the next five years. That decision is a crucial one in ensuring continued peace, progress and prosperity in our beloved country.