Guyanese Voting For New Government Today

GEORGETOWN, Guyana, March 2, 2020 (CMC) – Citizens began casting ballots for a new government in this Caribbean Community (CARICOM) country, with some voters standing outside polling stations, long before the official opening time of 6am.

The Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) said that polling will be for a 12-hour period, ending at 6.00 pm (local time), and that it is “well prepared” for the day’s activity. GECOM said 661,000 people are eligible to vote in the elections, and that there are an estimated 2,339 polling stations, scattered across the country.

Tents have also been erected to serve as polling stations in some areas, and GECOM Chair, retired Justice Claudette Singh, said that security had been beefed up at all polling stations.

GECOM announced that nine political parties are contesting the general elections, while 11 are participating in the regional poll.

Political observers say the contest is a straight fight between the ruling coalition — A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and the Alliance For Change (AFC) — headed by President, David Granger; and the main opposition, People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), whose Presidential Candidate is former Housing Minister, Ifraan Ali.

Both parties held rallies, last weekend, urging voters to put them in office, to take care of the country’s socio economic development, over the next five years.

Local, regional and international groups, including the US-based Carter Centre, the Organisation of American States, the Commonwealth, as well as CARICOM, are observing the polls, being billed as one of the most important in Guyana’s political history, given the country’s new-found wealth, following the discovery of oil and gas.

Most of the observer teams have promised to issue a preliminary report on the elections on March 4, and a final report at a later date.