ELECTION DAY, May 11, has been declared a public holiday by the Ministry of Home Affairs.“The Ministry of Home Affairs wishes to inform the general public that in pursuance of the powers conferred on the Hon. Minister of Home Affairs by Section 6 of the Public Holiday Act, the Minister has declared Monday, May 11, 2015 as a Public Holiday in observance of General and Regional Elections,” the Ministry said in a statement.
The two major political contenders, by all accounts and historical underpinnings, are the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) and the Alliance of A Partnership for National Unity and the Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC).
The other parties submitting their National Top-up List, Geographical Constituencies List, and Regional Democratic Council Lists, included: The United Force (TUF); the Healing the Nation Theocracy Party (HTNT); the United Republican Party (URP); the Independent Party (IP); the Organisation for the Victory of the People (OVP); and the National Independence Party (NIP).
President Donald Ramotar, on January 20, announced May 11 as the date for General and Regional Election, which were not constitutionally due until 2016. Three years of political gridlock and the consequent prorogation of Parliament preceded the move.