The holidays are over and the country is currently in elections mode. In a matter of days, the elections campaign will become more intense as the various parties vie for political power at the March 2 polls. The APNU/AFC have already launched their campaign last evening and the PPP/C will launch theirs on Sunday. For many, these elections are viewed as the ‘mother of all elections’ as the stakes are very high considering the direction Guyana will be taking as we explore fully the oil and gas sector.
While it is normal for political parties to campaign fiercely as they try to win the hearts and minds of voters, it is expected that they do so based on issues and stay away from the personal attacks and mudslinging etc. During past elections campaigns, we have seen politicians, across the political divide, behaving in a reckless and immature manner, not only by engaging in nasty attacks against their opponents, but also by using the race card to appeal to their supporters in order to gain votes. Such actions have the potential to cause mayhem in an already politically-charged environment.
Observers will be watching closely to see how these parties behave during and after the elections. It is also expected that agencies such as the Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC) and the Guyana National Broadcasting Authority will step up their efforts on ensuring there is compliance to all the necessary laws etc.
It could be recalled that at the last elections, political parties had signed on to a code of conduct to guide their behaviour before, during and after the elections. This was seen as a commitment on their part that they were serious about running clean, responsible and issue-based campaigns.
According to the Code, the endorsing political party “recognises that peace and public order, freedom of political campaigning, and compliance with electoral laws and regulations are essential and of paramount importance to the conduct of free, fair and credible elections”. As with the Media Code of Conduct (MCC), the code for political parties acts as a self-regulatory mechanism for the contesting parties and their representatives.
For example, the code places the burden on political parties to express opposition to and rejection of the use of violence and intimidation or plans of this nature by any of the candidates, agents, members or supporters as a means of expressing political support or furthering political objectives. There are rules governing the actions of parties on Election Day, as well as it relates to polling agents and others.
As it relates to campaigning, the Code calls on parties to commit and contribute in every way to the goal of a peaceful election process by forbidding the use of threats, harassment or tendency to violence that might cause disruption, whether at political rallies or elsewhere, or any other form of intimidatory behaviour.
Similarly, the participating political groups are expected to forbid the use of abusive, slanderous or threatening language, or language which could incite people of one group to violence against any candidate, agent, member or supporter of any other group and the publication of any pamphlet, poster, cartoon or any other material containing text which could offend or incite people to cause public disorder.
GECOM should look at reviewing the document and then determine if there is need for it to be amended or strengthened with the involvement of all stakeholders and then invite political parties to recommit themselves by singing on to it again.
Citizens are fed up with the usual “cuss down” politics or what some refer to as “political bradarism” kind of behaviour displayed by politicians during elections campaigning here. The focus must be on maintaining a clean, professional and peaceful elections campaign; one that is based on debating and discussing important issues affecting our people.
That said, with just a few weeks away from polling day, it is hoped that GECOM will address all outstanding issues in a transparent, fair and efficient manner and be fully ready for E-Day. The nation cannot afford to have any slippages at this time. It is also hoped that all stakeholders, including political parties, election observers, civil society and the media will play their part in ensuring that we once again rise the occasion and show the world that we have matured as a nation, and that political and other forms of disturbances during pre, peri and post elections periods is a thing of the past.
