THE Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Guyana (FITUG) is calling on all political parties and stakeholders to ensure that the May 11 General and Regional Elections are “free, fair and peaceful.”Elections Day from today is some 32 days away. The major political parties, the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) and the A Partnership for National Unity+ Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC), along with several small parties on Tuesday handed over their lists of candidates to the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM).

FITUG, in a release, said one of the pillars of democracy, especially post-1992, has been the periodic conduct of National and Regional Elections.

“Since 1992, these elections have had the distinction of being free and fair and have been held in conditions that were relatively peaceful. We look forward to and urge that the upcoming May 11, 2015 elections be also free, fair and peaceful.”
FITUG added: “The elections season is a time for various and heightened political activities. These myriad activities should keep our citizenry to become more politically aware and so be able to be very informed when exercising their franchise. Leaders and activists who are engaged in these activities, whatever the type, need also to appreciate the need to be tolerant, respectful and responsible, particularly as this could also be an emotionally charged season.”
Several past experiences would have shown that a free, fair and generally peaceful elections atmosphere depend so much on the work of GECOM.
Given the range of issues to be addressed and the challenging logistics entailed, GECOM has done a praiseworthy job in previous elections.
“FITUG takes this opportunity to urge GECOM to yet again pursue its task of conducting the forthcoming elections in a business-like way and taking the care and precaution to ensure that they turn out to be unquestionably free and fair, and thus, contributing to maintaining and even strengthening our democratic culture.”
FITUG is also encouraging all those who are eligible and registered to vote to do so.
“It’s our right and duty. We need to be mindful that the elections and their outcome will play a major role in determining our country’s future path and its development prospects.
“On May 11, through our vote, let us mandate the political leaders to continue to build and maintain economic vibrancy and ensure our country’s all-round social advances and progress,” FITUG said.
FITUG is the nation’s largest majority bloc of registered, unionised workers. The trade union body said it highly values these periodic elections, as it sees them as an indispensable factor for the well-being and stability of the Guyanese society.