Dear Editor,
Local Government Elections are some eight weeks away, and candidates filed nominations on Monday.

The People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) that governs at the centre says it has put up candidates in all 80 Local Authority Areas (LAAs) (70 NDCs and 10 Municipalities).

The AFC said it is not contesting LGE 2023. It is not known as yet how many areas the Opposition PNC and independents are contesting. But the official Opposition party says it is contesting in all of its strongholds.

The statement suggests that PNC will not contest in PPP strongholds, giving the party a free pass. And even if the PNC does field candidates, it will be decimated in areas traditionally won by the PPP.

Polling data of surveys conducted from January to now show defeat is staring in the face of the opposition forces.

There is no support for low key, unknown independents. The PNC is not attracting much support and several prominent individuals once associated with the party as recently as 2021 have crossed over to the ruling PPP.

There is no cross over support towards the PNC, and no voter indicated they will migrate from PPP to PNC.

However, there is a lot of cross over racial support (from PNC) for PPP that enhances its prospect of securing seats traditionally won by PNC.

The PPP is making inroads everywhere in every municipality and stronghold of the PNC. Polling suggests that the PPP will do extremely well in Georgetown, Linden, New Amsterdam and other urban areas.

The incumbent party will run away with the elections, winning more than three quarters of the 80 bodies.

So far, the LGE has been a low key affair. There is hardly any significant PNC presence in any neighbourhood.

There is virtually no election related materials, not even in its strongholds. In contrast, the PPP election paraphernalia are overwhelmingly on display, swarming entire neighbourhoods including PNC strongholds.

The PNC campaign comes across as insufficiently funded, uncoordinated, and lacking focus, and appears divided as prominent MPs and former stalwarts are not part of the LGE campaign.

Supporters of the PNC blame the parlous state of affairs of the opposition party on the leadership of Aubrey Norton. Also, voters have nothing complimentary to say about the PNC and its leadership.

In contrast with the PNC, the PPP comes across as very united and organized, and flush with funds. It has been successful in attracting several cross over candidates in NDCs that PNC won in the last two LGEs.

In addition, President, Dr. Irfaan Ali’s leadership has been praised, and he has been credited for bringing people together and spreading development work all over the country as against what occurred during the tenure of the coalition.

The ruling party has also been praised for focusing on economic recovery after the devastating consequences of COVID-19.

Yours respectfully,
Vishnu Bisram