WELL, the members comprising Guyana’s disciplined forces cast their ballots yesterday for the Government they would prefer to administer the affairs of this nation based on the official outcome of the May 11 National and Regional Elections, just eight days away.

The political parties seeking to form the next Government as well as the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) and, of course, the legitimate voters across this nation would now depend on the disciplined forces, primarily the Guyana Police Force and the Guyana Defence Force, to do ALL that’s necessary to ensure that the elections take place in an environment of Law and Order and firmly guard against ANY attempt to engage in electoral fraud.

The sin, nay the crime of electoral fraud that has been so much a distressing feature in elections under changing People’s National Congress (PNC) administrations, must never again be facilitated to corrupt the processes — from voting to counting and declaration of valid ballots –that would be the basis for formation of the next Guyana Government.

While all parties contesting the elections are engaged in projecting optimism in their respective favour, there, nevertheless, continues to be objective factors that point to a likely return of a PPP/Civic Administration.

In the meanwhile, this newspaper feels it obligatory to also share the expressed disappointment of the continuing disunity within this nation’s vital trade union movement as, once again, revealed on ‘Labour Day’ this past Friday.

We are quite familiar with the sad history of divisions among trade unions that together comprise the national labour movement and, therefore, the authenticity of their respective membership as well as their political persuasions.

The circumstances, over the years, that contributed to the prevailing status quo of FITUG (Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Guyana) and the dwindling Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC) are fairly well known across the rank and file members who themselves must be yearning for a return of a united and strengthened labour movement to better cooperate in the good governance of this nation.

Indeed, quite experienced labour leaders were among those expressing their hurt this May Day over the prevailing disunity as demonstrated on Friday with unions splitting to follow their respective umbrella organisations.

In the circumstances, we must sustain hope that when the May 11 elections are over and a new governance administration is in place, new creative efforts would be pursued to heal lingering wounds that perpetuate disunity within the labour movement.