– as electorate prepare to vote today

PARTY candidates over the weekend continued campaigning on the ground as tension between supporters of each political party was noticeable on social media and during interactions in communities in the town of Mabaruma. Today, voters will go to the polls in the second successive Local Government Elections for the first time in 45 years.
Candidates for the coalition parties, the A Partnership for National Unity and the Alliance For Change held rallies over the weekend at the town of Mabaruma. These rallies attracted dozens of supporters.

On Saturday, busloads of APNU and AFC supporters joined a caravan which tramped through the villages, including Kumaka, Hosororo Hill , Wanaina and the constituencies at Mabaruma including Mabaruma Settlement and the Mabaruma Compound, as they drum up support while giving persons reasons their candidates should be elected to run the council.
For this year’s elections, the two major parties have introduced several new faces to the electorate.

Among those vying for positions on the Town Council for the APNU are first- time candidate Gary James, seasoned campaigner Cleveland December and the young Rehana Thomas.
The opposition People’s Progressive Party is also contesting in the six constituencies at Mabaruma. Their candidates, which include first timer Chris Phang were introduced at a rally last weekend at Mabaruma. Noticeably, campaigning by the major parties has been heating up in recent weeks.

At the last LGEs in 2016, the government and the opposition were able to score the same number of seats — six each — which saw the body being unable to function because of the stalemate. The opposition later took the matter to court.

Later, the two sides managed to agree on projects such as infrastructural works around the town. Eligible voters who support the two parties, told the Guyana Chronicle over the weekend that they are hoping for a favourable result to further development of the town.