Nomination Day provides evidence Guyanese are now torchbearers for One Guyana

Democracy was in action on Monday, April 17, in Guyana. The many whose names are on the candidate lists, those who choose to be independent contestants, must be congratulated.

Local government elections around the world have always failed to garner the same enthusiasm as national elections. But any observer in Guyana on Monday would not have known that it was simply Nomination Day for LGE. Every observer of Nomination Day for LGE 2023, last Monday, would have seen an atmosphere akin to national elections. At GECOM’s Nomination Day Centres around the country, people gathered to submit their party’s LGE 2023 candidate lists. However, what was clear was that those who gathered around the country were mainly in red, the party colour of the PPP. There was a sprinkling of green, the party colour of the PNC, in some areas, such as Georgetown and Linden. But clearly, the enthusiasm seen was from an overwhelming support base for the PPP.
It was humiliating for Aubrey Norton and his PNC executive members to see an almost total absence of both PNC leaders and PNC supporters during Nomination Day activities. The Leader of the Opposition made a brief appearance, but was clearly pained to see that his party could not muster any support to accompany those lonely ones who were given the responsibility of handing in their candidate lists in the various communities. Who could ever have imagined that, on a Nomination Day, the PPP would be able to outshine by far the PNC in Linden, Georgetown, and New Amsterdam? But that is exactly what happened last Monday. It was not even a close contest, with the PPP clearly outnumbering the PNC (APNU) and outshining them in enthusiasm.
One had to search long and hard to find a PNC or APNU senior official anywhere in the country, or find any nominating centre where a crowd of PNC supporters was present to give support to those handing in their candidate lists. It was humiliating for a party that has, for more than 65 years, been the second largest political party, a party that could routinely record more than 35% of the votes in national elections.
Noteworthy, the PNC (APNU) was the incumbent Government up to August 2020, less than three years ago. Yet, this party suffered a tsunami of defections. The disappointment was too painful for one former senior minister and senior PNC executive, who cried while watching and reading what was taking place. The PPP reached greater heights, and the PNC fell hard.
The PPP is contesting in every local government area, whether for NDC or for municipality seats. The PNC failed to submit for some important municipalities and NDCs. We already know that the PNC was unable to submit a list of candidates for the Diamond/Herstelling NDC, one of the largest NDCs in the country, and for Aranaputa, the only NDC in Region 9, a place where the PNC has always been competitive. Diamond/Herstelling is an NDC that is within arm’s length of the PNC’s headquarters, within walking distance of where some PNC leaders live and work.
Worse yet, the PNC was unable to submit a list of candidates for the municipality of Lethem. This is a municipality where the PNC has been competitive in the past. The PNC also submitted incomplete lists, with no candidates for various constituencies within an NDC or municipality.
Without a single vote cast yet, the PPP is already out front with walkover victories, already earning significant numbers of seats because these seats have PPP candidates that no one is contesting against.
The remarkable thing about Nomination Day for LGE 2023 is the number of persons that have switched from the PNC, AFC, other political parties, and even some previously independent candidates to the PPP. There are some serving councillors in municipalities and NDCs who have switched to the PPP. In virtually every single local government area, there are people who previously served with the PNC or other political parties or as independents who have now become candidates for the PPP. This is especially true in New Amsterdam and Georgetown. The PNC is the party that has suffered the most from the defections. We are unaware of any defection from the PPP.
While Bharrat Jagdeo, the PPP’s General Secretary, and President Irfaan Ali are confident of winning in more places than they did in 2018, Aubrey Norton and the PNC are fighting to remain relevant in their strongholds. It is sad and painful to watch Aubrey Norton concede that their objective in LGE 2023 is to retain control of their strongholds.
The PNC itself, and its leaders and some of its supporters have decided that they will demonise citizens who have used their constitutional and inalienable right to choose for themselves. They are being called traitors, soup drinkers, house slaves, and other despicable names. They have been accused of being bought. This is an attack on freedom and democracy. The PNC has become a racist party.
The PNC universally submitted lists with no diversity. The PPP, in contrast, submitted lists that reflect Guyana and the communities. In Georgetown, the PNC list appears like Georgetown is made up of only Afro-Guyanese. The PPP list has about 65% Afro-Guyanese and the list reflects the demographics of Georgetown.
The bottom line is that the PPP lists demonstrate that President Irfaan Ali’s ONE GUYANA plea is working. It demonstrates that the people of Guyana have been inspired, and are becoming torchbearers for unity and for ONE GUYANA.