THE proverbial die has been cast in more than one respect, with more than 7,000 ranks of the Disciplined Services having cast their votes on Saturday. With seven days to go to the May 11 General and Regional Elections, by and large the ongoing election campaigns have been somewhat less than sober, with several reported incidents of less than acceptable behaviour from the overzealous.
May 11 is the day that the Guyanese people head to one of the most significant General and Regional Elections since 1992.

PROPOSAL AND PROMISES
The manifestos, the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) Guyana 2.0 and the A Partnership for National Unity and the Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) “war plan” aim to tackle what they consider priority matters.
The ruling PPP/C proposes growth, job creation, generation of wealth, boosting of the manufacturing and tourism sectors, a focus on food and energy and security, among plans that will be bolstered by several transformational infrastructural projects. Among those listed are the Amaila Falls Hydropower Project, the expansion of the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA), an all-weather road linking Guyana to Brazil, bridges across the Corentyne and Demerara Rivers and a deep-water Habour at the mouth of the Berbice River. It is touted as an interconnected plan – a development thrust that will ensure growth on all fronts, supported by infrastructural advances, which will in turn see the generation of wealth, which will then support efforts to advance a better quality of living for the Guyanese people.
On the other hand, APNU+AFC plan has as its central themes: Healing and reconciliation; Governance; Constitutional Reform; Public Safety and Security; Women and Gender Equality; Youth Policy; Education; Health and Nutrition; Housing Policy; Sports and Recreation; Cultural Policy; Natural Resources and the environment; Agriculture; Hinterland Development; Tourism; Information & Communication Technology; Income Distribution; and Foreign Relations.
The highlights of the promises made are: the reduction of several forms of taxation, including Value Added Tax (VAT); an eventual increase of the personal income tax threshold to $100,000; all new public servants will be trained and must pass an examination of competence before being retained; constitutional reform that outlines new measures under which persons are elected to the executive and how power is shared; and a dedicated policy for Region 10, with Linden touted as a “secondary administrative” centre of Guyana.
The smaller political parties, six altogether, are also engaged in making their last ditch appeal to advance its agenda for progress in Guyana.
UP FOR CONSIDERATION
The messages from the campaign added to the manifestos have given Guyanese much food for thought.
Some of the messages did not stay at the civilian level as some of them made their way to the desk of the Guyana Elections Commission’s (GECOM) Media Monitoring Unit (MMU), while others haven’t – a point heard in the criticisms of the Unit and part of the basis for the call for GECOM to have greater oversight of the Unit. Two reports have been released to date since its resuscitation on late February. The first was the basis of legal action advanced against former president Bharrat Jagdeo by a vocal critic of the current Administration, Christopher Ram. The matter had its first hearing at the Whim Magistrate Court, Region 6 (East Berbice/ Corentyne) last month.

The incidents of unacceptable behaviour from the overzealous in the political arena has also factored into the list of considerations on the plate of the Guyanese people. The most recent at Warlock, East Ruimveldt, was particularly disturbing. A PPP/C public meeting was interrupted by a band of APNU+AFC supporters. The political opposition’s ‘overzealous’ involved children and missiles were hurled at speakers, including party stalwart, Dr. Roger Luncheon.
Fortunately, if you discount these incidents, the politicians on the hustings have been earnestly and vociferously involved in expounding and exchanging comments on party policies, programmes and legislative agenda.
Given that stakeholders in the electoral process are in the homestretch run, these are being undertaken with greater fervour.
FOR THE SAKE OF CONTINUITY
The homestretch sprint has attracted observers welcomed by Guyanese for validation of free and fair elections from international, as well as local, observer missions.
The Organisation of American States (OAS), the Carter Centre, the Commonwealth, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), the United Nations and the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR) have accepted Central Government’s invitation to act as electoral observers. Additionally, 10 local groups have indicated an interest in acting as election observers and include representatives from the United States Embassy, the British and Canadian High Commissions, the European Union (EU) country office, the Private Sector Commission (PSC), the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI), Blue Caps, the International Republic Institute (IRI), the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) and the Electoral Assistance Bureau (EAB). The latter received the endorsement of the Central Islamic Organisation of Guyana (CIOG).
According to GECOM, all observers, local and foreign, will be required to sign onto certain protocols before they are accredited as observers. Some observer groups already have a presence in Guyana.
GECOM has also assured that it is ready to go, a few operational kinks having been worked out after Saturday’s vote by the Disciplined Services.
All considered, for most the next week with be the shortest they have experienced, with their view that there is much to do and little time to do it; while for others it will be longer than usual, their perception of time tinged by anticipation.