–determined to do better by their communities

By Tamica Garnett and Clestine Juan

WITH determination on their faces and hope for a better community in their hearts, persons turned out in their numbers on Monday to exercise their right to vote for candidates of their choice at the local-government level.

Over on the West Demerara, the LGE saw a serene day of voting where there were hardly any lines to speak of at any of the polling stations, and while most of the early voters were senior citizens there were a few youngsters as well.

Some rose at the crack of dawn and were out by the 06:00hrs opening of the poll, while others preferred the midday hour, braving the scorch of the noontime sun. Granted that excitement was low, but it was still there for some.
“I feel quite excited, just as I did last time. I’m excited, I’m happy. I’m always ready,” said 28-year-old Renee Rodrigues, who was among the early voters that turned out in the Toevlugt-Patentia Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC).

Rodrigues made a simple task of the activity. With her polling station just a walk away from her home, she took her young son along for the experience.
“As a young person, I think it’s important that we exercise this franchise. I want to be part of this process; I want to ensure that things are done in my community,” she said.

She is more than just a voter. Rodrigues has ensured that she has positioned herself to make a direct impact on her community. She’s a candidate, and one of the Proportional Representation (PR) candidates for the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) in her NDC, something she speaks of with much passion. In the La Grange-Nismes NDC, 34-year-old legal clerk, Derwyn Moffett is another young person hoping to make a difference in his community. He’s another PR candidate for the APNU party.

“Even before this LGE, I would meet with persons within my community and I would discuss things with them as to what is actually lacking in our community,” Moffet said.
“In my area, the road down at the back is very bad, and with that I started to meet with people, trying to ask them what they think as to the way forward, and persons started to encourage me and say, ‘You are young; you should run and be a part of it.’ “And with that, I took their little words and advice decided to be part of it,” he added.

In the Canal Polder NDC, People’s Progressive Party (PPP) candidate, Mohan Girwar was busy mobilising voters at the New Annlegt Nursery School polling station.
He is looking forward to doing better by his community and hopes he does not disappoint his supporters.

‘PEOPLE WANT ME’
“The people dem want me do it,” Giwar said. “I will try to do my best for the people; that’s why they put me,” he declared.
A reccurring complaint among voters at his polling station is the need for job creation. If he wins, Girwar says, he will try to work along with those in higher authority to address the issue as best he can.

Girwar’s polling station saw one of the more vibrant turnouts of the day, though a lot of the voters were senior citizens, determined to let their vote be counted.
Despite being wheelchair-bound, 80-year-old Edward Jardine refused to let his disability stop him from getting his finger stained. And his wife and other residents were only too happy to oblige.

When the dust settles after Elections Day and the candidates are appointed, Mr Jardine wants his constituency representative to do a lot of on-the-ground evaluation and not just assess his community’s issues from afar.

“They have to come and see, and the people have to pin point it to you,” he said, adding:
“Listen to the people that live in the community! Hear what they have to say!” He hopes, too, that whoever wins sees their promises through all the way. He’s also hoping that the issue of littering and garbage collection in his area can be addressed.

At the Meten-Meer-Zorg Primary School, there was also a somewhat upbeat turnout, with voters being largely mobilized by PPP candidate Dinesh Prashad.
A candidate for Constituency 8 in the Tuschen-Uitvlugt NDC, Prashad hopes to see street lights and better roads in his community, once he wins.

KEEP THEIR PROMISES
Meanwhile, over on the East Bank Demerara, the Guyana Chronicle journeyed from Houston to as far as Yarrowkabra on the Soesdyke-Linden Highway, and on the way there, we stopped at the St. Ann’s Primary School in Agricola where we met 64-year-old Joy Douglas, who explained that she hopes that the winning parties live up to their promises. She also called for them to put systems in place for a better community, and to provide jobs and facilities for the youth.

We also had a word with Minister of Public Telecommunications, Ms Catherine Hughes after she was done casting her ballot at the Providence Primary School, and she said that GECOM’s needs to do more to sensitise persons on voter education.
At Diamond Secondary, we engaged PPP/C PR candidate, Rajendra Paul, 38, who said that all he wants is to see his community prosper.

Paul, who once served on the Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) in his community said:
“I would like to be involved in the development of my community; I just don’t want to live here, just for the sake of living here. I would like to see my community strive.”

At Diamond Primary, the Guyana Chronicle spoke briefly with PPP/C Constituency One candidate, Stieve Fareek, and he said he has plans of reopening the Diamond Recreational Centre, and to do something that will positively impact the elderly.

APNU’s Constituency 9 candidate, Wayne François was at the Old Grove Primary School overseeing the election process, and he reported that to the best of his knowledge, it had been smooth sailing all day, though turnout was not as grand as during General Elections.
At Kuru-Kuru Primary, 71-year-old Tasleem Drupaul, a PPP/C candidate said he plans doing something about teenage school dropouts in his community, like providing jobs and skills training for them.