Democracy in Action

Nov 28, 2011 Editorial

Guyana goes to the polls! No matter how “alienated” the pollsters have pronounced the Guyanese electorate has become, it is our considered opinion that voters will be coming out in their numbers today to exercise their franchise.
We have not reached the ennui of the “developed” democracies, where less than half of the eligible voters turn out to vote. This is because voters are not complacent about those that will seize the reign of governance in a few days.
The question we believe must be posed when we enter the voting booth is, “What are the criteria should we use to choose the new government?”
It is an unfortunate fact of our history that since the franchise was granted in 1953, when we were still a colony, race was the factor that guided our choice. In the beginning, this orientation might not have been such a bad thing since those that the masses of people were voting against, represented, in the main, the colonial power and agenda.
But in subsequent elections, the tendency to racial voting became accentuated, resulting in a corresponding decline of the democratic ethos in our society.
This was not surprising since if citizens vote simply according to ascribed characteristics like skin colour and hair texture, it would be a miracle for the will of “the people” to be represented. Not to mention the quality of the representation. At best, we would have a majority block in power but substantial groups, with their talents and resentments, looking on from the outside.
It is a rather fortunate, if unforeseen, consequence of our very high migration rates, which have debilitated us in other areas, to have gradually produced a population profile in which none of the four self identified groups – African, Indian, Amerindians and Mixed – now constitute an absolute majority.
This fortunate happenstance finally presents us with the reality that none of the traditionally ethnically based parties can now win the election with votes coming solely from one constituency. In other words, all parties have to presently tailor their campaign rhetoric and manifestos to appeal across the old racial divides.
And this has to be a good thing. In the past it was a rational decision for parties to try to please their constituency to the exclusion of others and for the constituencies to understand the rationale.
If they did not, it resulted in an efflorescence of overtly based ethnic parties that pushed the envelope in extreme directions. The major parties had to respond and the results were ethnic censuses rather than democratic polls.
In this election, however, we have seen the virtual extinction of the blatantly ethnic parties. The major parties have consequently all been promulgating a very middle of the road, non-ethnic line.
We will not delude ourselves that we have seen the end of ethnic voting: this phenomena is very difficult to eradicate because matters of personal identity are intertwined with group success. But we do believe that we have now firmly embarked on a non-ethnic mode of political participation.
Its denouement, of course, is for the population to vote on issues: jobs, industries, schools, poverty and so on. With these criteria, we move into an arena where there can be shifting alliances and agglomerations depending on the issue.
And we will finally have arrived at the crux of a democratic polity: one in which there is discussion and debate by the people on the merits and demerits of policies the government is either contemplating or proposing. And through which the latter can be guided.
It does us no good for us to rail about the past. We have listened to the plans of the several parties. Hopefully we have evaluated them. We have seen the candidates in the flesh. We have to make up our minds as to who can best be trusted. For those that have records, let us balance those records against their promises.
But whatever we do, let us reject the scourge of racial voting. May the party with the best record, personnel and policies win. Vote issues not race.

Latest News

Democracy in Action

Related

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show|| February, 14th, 2025

Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

THE BLUNT OF THE DAY

Sports

Girls’ Hockey team selected for 2025 PAHF Jr Challenge

Matthew Moore and Joshua John cop Best Lifters...

Imlach, Permaul among top 10 in batting/bowling...

GFF personnel participate in FIFA Concussion...

OVER-50s WORLD CUP – ROUND 6 ROUND-UP

Pepsi/Michael Parris U16 Tournament returns on...

Features/Columnists

Mashramani must break from the shackles of imitation

CARICOM Nations Should Respond Together To new U.S. Policies

Big fish corruption

Publisher’s Note

Weekend Cartoon

Bridge Watch

Demerara Harbour Bridge

> Berbice Bridge […]

Democracy in Action

Share this:

Related

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show|| February, 14th, 2025

Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

THE BLUNT OF THE DAY

Sports

Features/Columnists

Publisher’s Note

Weekend Cartoon

Bridge Watch

Demerara Harbour Bridge

> Berbice Bridge […]