Dear Editor,
In compliance with the legal requirements, the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) has signalled full preparedness to receive the nominated Lists of Candidates from all individuals, groups, and political parties contesting the 2023 Local Government Elections (LGEs). Therefore, Nominations Day on Monday, April 17, 2023, should have a buzz of supporting activities as the representatives submit their credentials.

The PPP/C is in its normal consistency mode and exuding full preparedness with its all-inclusive list of carefully selected candidates. Therefore, the party proposes and recommends its balanced teams to work and provide leadership and service delivery support in communities; while advancing a definite continuance of influence toward dominating the results at the upcoming Polls. However, notwithstanding the recommendations, the party highly regards citizens’ choices in promoting and sustaining our democratic ideals.

On the other hand, the PNC, on the other side of the divide, along with their cabal backing in the APNU coalition, is bereft of meaningful support. Consequently, they are still trying to find a fault to challenge the conduct of these elections or have signalled their intention of not contesting. It leaves one to wonder what next the PNC/APNU will come up with in attempting to suppress our collective development as a nation to support their thematic aggrandizement of a few.

The reasons for the latter are apparent, given the blatant attempts by the PNC+APNU/AFC to steal the Government in 2020. The memories are fresh in citizens’ minds and severely negatively affect the PNC/APNU’s ability to find credible candidates to contest the 2023 LGEs. Whether the PNC/APNU can back or put-up candidates to compete, their targeted delaying tactics will ultimately fail, as this nation is ready to hold the overdue LGEs.

Aside from a few pompous vocals a few months ago when they attempted to derail the elections by trumped-up legal challenges, the PNC/APNU is extremely silent on its preparation to challenge in these 2023 Local Government polls. The PNC has always displayed a false sense of security to their followers that they can use the judiciary to frustrate all efforts to procrastinate the holding of elections and defend their wrongdoings. The strategy has woefully failed them and even served to embarrass the lawyers who have been sympathetic to their meaningless cause.

GECOM has done an outstanding job in preparation for the holding of a free and fair 2023 LGEs. Further, all the political parties, particularly the two main parties, PPP/C and the PNC+APNU coalition, fielded a full contingent of scrutineers to monitor the continuous registration process and the Claims and Objection verification of the list. The preceding augers well for the organisation’s delivery of transparency and openness of the process and do not leave any room for frivolous legal challenges from the PNC.

On the basis mentioned above, one can easily be satisfied that the final register of voters’ list for these LGEs was prepared correctly and verified by the political scrutineers, who were all paid. Therefore, we must commend GECOM for following the process thoroughly and ensuring the proper authentication of all the transactions by the signatures of Political Parties Scrutineers. Thus, this Voters List evidences the best possible preparation for holding the upcoming LGEs.

The PPP/C will contest all 70 Neighbourhood Democratic Councils and 10 Municipal Councils. The PPP/C’s well-balanced list of representatives is and will give them a significant advantage in accumulating votes. In this sense, the party continues to focus on working even harder with ministers and walking the ground to work with citizens and community leaders to advance development across the country.

Therefore, following the presentation of the List of Candidates on Nominations Day, citizens across the country could expect the intensification of engagements from PPP/C leaders and supporters in various forms, including meetings and house-to-house visits. Focus points to these interactions will not be limited to, but likely to provide updates concerning plans at the Village, Neighbourhood Democratic Councils, and Municipal levels, address concerns where possible, and obtain consultative feedback from the grassroots level.

Naturally, the promotion of candidates comes as part of the package, as it will increase awareness of our representatives; they will be working at the Council level. The approach will also provide appropriate information to enable residents to make rational choices at the polls. It is unlikely that the electorate will waste their ballots and they will vote for the best candidates. Therefore, these LGEs will reveal the well-anticipated feedback on PPPC’s ‘One Guyana’ agenda.

Sincerely,
Neil Kumar