ON May 11 Guyanese will head to the polls, the most significant General and Regional Elections since 1992, and the Carter Centre, one of three international observers in Guyana, contends that the upcoming polls will be “an important test” for Guyana.“There’s a strong sense that this could be a closely contested election,” said Director of the Carter Centre’s Democracy Programme, David Carroll, in a release from the Centre.
He added, “This election is likely to be very competitive. Depending on the quality of the electoral process, there might be reluctance to accept the results. It will be an important test for Guyana and its people.”
In response, Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), Dr. Steve Surujbally, told the Guyana Chronicle that all efforts are being made to ensure that the electoral process is free and fair and without hiccups.
However, he bemoaned the fact that “singular” hiccups are sometimes unfortunately portrayed as the status quo.
“Whether or not the electoral process is optimal, there may be a case of a glitch, a singular occurrence, that is not acknowledged as a singular occurrence…we are trying our best to have no episodes,” Dr. urujbally said.

REFORMS
Additionally, Carroll, turning his attention to reforms said, “While most political leaders acknowledge the need for constitutional reform, progress has been lacking. The key question is whether serious reforms will proceed after the elections.”
Acknowledging that the ruling People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) and the alliance of A Partnership for National Unity and the Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) have dominated politics in Guyana, he expressed the concern that there seems to be some polarisation, as opposed to inclusion.
“While the population and political scene are changing, the country’s electoral and governance systems foster polarisation rather than inclusion,” Carroll said.
The PPP/C and APNU+AFC have both made commitments to address reforms aimed at greater inclusion.
The PPP/C in its manifesto, Guyana 2.0, said, “We need to engage more young people in the benefits of our public service and civic life, while achieving greater diversity at all levels of governance. We aim to restore trust in Parliament and its members, and reform the institutions of our Government to bring people in, not shut them out…we will work within the framework established in our Constitution to strengthen social justice and address ethnic insecurity wherever it exists.”
APNU+AFC on the other hand has committed to appointing a Constitutional Reform Commission consisting of representatives of all major stakeholders – trades unions, the private sector, religious and faith-based organisations, women, youths, professional organisations and the university. Its mandate will be to undertake the urgent task of fashioning comprehensive reforms, for early implementation, designed to guarantee a democratic society.
The alliance’s manifesto stated that, “APNU+AFC will establish and entrench an inclusionary democracy through the appointment of a Government of National Unity which would create opportunities for the participation of citizens and their organisations in the management and decision-making processes of the state, with particular emphasis on the areas of decision-making that affect their well-being.”
Guyanese will head to the polls in five days.
The Centre deployed six medium-term observers in mid-April to assess the political climate and electoral preparations. In the week before the election, they will be joined by about 50 short-term observers who will deploy across the nation. (Vanessa Narine)