AS the political atmosphere intensifies in the face of General and Regional elections slated for May 11, repeated calls have been made for youths to exercise their franchise at the upcoming polls – the latest call being made yesterday by Youth Minister, Dr. Frank Anthony.
In an exclusive interview with the Guyana Chronicle, yesterday, the Minister emphasised the importance of youth voting, saying that, “I think it is very important for young people to come out and vote, particularly first time voters.”
According to Dr. Anthony, it is the constitutional right of every eligible Guyanese to come out and exercise their franchise and have a say in the country’s electoral process.
Over the years, he noted, the ruling People’s Progressive Party (PPP) has worked hard to win and maintain this franchise not just for young people but all Guyanese who are eligible to vote.
As such, he stressed that, “They are encouraged to exercise this democratic right which we have fought long and hard to win.”
Meanwhile, former longstanding PPP member, Ralph Ramkarran, echoed similar sentiments on how important such a process is for the younger population, while adding that one must not “over emphasise it [Youth voting]”.
The rationale behind this is that the, “vast bulk of youths vote like their parents” Ramkarran posited, adding that, “There is of course more disaffection and more sympathy for the Alliance For Change (AFC) but to what extent that will be decisive, I do not know.”
Aiding the process is the recently launched voter education campaign by the Guyana National Youth Council (GNYC), under the theme: “Vote Like a Boss”.
GNYC’s executive member, Tricia Teekah, at the launch on Saturday, explained that citizens can expect voter education campaigns to begin as early as today in Anna Regina, with voter education workshops open to the public along with civil groups.
On Saturday the youth agency will meet to analyse parties’ policies and positions for the upcoming elections. Activities will also continue around various towns throughout Guyana until the May 11 General and Regional Elections.
Prior to these developments, however, A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) Member of Parliament (MP) and Shadow Minister of Youth, Christopher Jones, also underscored the importance of this democratic right, disclosing that, “I think the single most important thing in the life of a young person is the ability to cast a vote.”
Reflecting on what are considered taboo cultures, in which females are prohibited from exercising any form of democratic right through the election of a government, Jones said, “When one thinks of not only the young population, but women in some parts of the world who have no right to vote, we should always place that at the back of our minds how important this single right is.”
In this regard, Jones is of the opinion that the most important effect of one’s vote is the ability to have the power to choose the type of future one would want for oneself. Attendant issues, he opined, include where you work, if you would be able to find a job, the type of job you would be engaged in based on your studies, how much you are paid, if you could afford a house lot, how secure would you and your family be, and the education you and your children will get, among other things. These, he said, were just some of the critical issues which depend on the younger generation voting.
By Ravin Singh
