Democratic renewal

Dec 06, 2011 Letters

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DEAR EDITOR,
PPP/C Presidential Candidate Donald Ramotar said that ‘it is very important for us to accept the results of the elections when GECOM has completed their process…this is the acceptable way for us to renew our democracy.’ Similar sentiments were expressed by the other presidential candidates from the contesting political parties.
APNU’s David Granger called on all of his supporters to desist from any act that may incite actions that would affect Guyana’s security situation. And AFC’s Khemraj Ramjattan said that it is in the interest of all political parties to desist from any provocations that can cause or realize violence in Guyana today. These are very re-assuring words from our political leaders which were spoken on the eve of the declaration of the final results by GECOM
The elections of 2011 are now over. At the time of wring this article the final results of the elections were not officially announced by GECOM even though preliminary results at both the national and regional elections put the incumbent PPPC ahead at the polls. APNU, which comprised of the PNC and a number of smaller parties, came in as the major opposition party in Parliament followed by the Alliance for Change at a distant third. The United Force failed to make any significant impact on the electorate.
The elections once again reaffirmed the democratic character of the Guyanese society and speak to the growing maturity of the Guyanese electorate to respect the will of the Guyanese people in certified free and fair elections. All of the observer groups pronounced positively on the authenticity of the polls which is necessary for the validity of the poll results.
Head of the Organization of American States (OAS) Electoral Observer Professor Gordon Shirley said that the 2011 polls represented an improvement over past elections and praised GECOM for the arrangements that were put in place for free and transparent elections. Similar comments were made by the CARICOM Electoral Observers who in their assessment of the poll found that Guyanese were given the opportunity under good conditions to elect a government on elections day.
And Head of the Commonwealth Observer Mission Denis Marshall said that the Group has concluded based on their assessment of the electoral processes that the elections represented a further strengthening of the democratic processes even though the delay in the release of the poll findings were adversely commented on by all of the Observer teams and those of the contesting parties, including the PPP/C.
The elections were conducted quite smoothly except for the delay in announcing the results which generated some speculation as to the real motives for the delay. According to the OAS representative, the delays could only undermine confidence in the electoral process and fuel speculation by interveners who wished to take advantage of the situation. It was unfortunate that, following a well administered election up to and including polling day, the failure to ensure the timely dissemination of results may have undermined the good work done.
This is unfortunate given the great effort by GECOM to once again pull off free and fair elections that are above board. It has to a large extent succeeded in delivering free and transparent elections since October 1992 when democratic elections were held in the country after an absence of some twenty-eight years.
The above notwithstanding, it was quite clear that the Guyanese electorate have spoken in a language that cannot be mistaken, and that is that they would like to see a continuation of the policies and programmes adumbrated by the PPP/C. Voter turnout at this election compares favourably with that of the previous elections, which speaks to the fact that Guyanese are politically conscious and do want to have a say in the determination of the affairs of the country.
Now that the elections are over, it is imperative for the new PPP/C administration under the presidency of Donald Ramotar, to begin the process of giving effect to the Party’s Elections Manifesto, which essentially is aimed at consolidating and furthering the development agenda of the government.
The issue of good governance, looking at ways to involve all the people of Guyana in the exciting task of nation-building, regardless of political or party affiliation, will certainly rank high on the agenda of the new President.
Guyanese of all political persuasions have reason to celebrate the fact that our democracy has been widely acclaimed by local and international observers. This is certainly good for the political health of this nation. Not all countries are as fortunate, as in the case of the Democratic Republic of Congo which held elections on the same day like Guyana, but which elections were marred by voting irregularities and violence.
Hydar Ally

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