Latest update February 14th, 2025 8:22 AM

Guyana's largest selling daily and New York's most popular weekly

Latest News

Modifying the system of voting

Oct 22, 2015 Editorial, Features / Columnists

The Canadians went to the polls on Monday and before most of them would have retired to bed that night they would have known the results of the elections. The polls closed at six that evening and by 10:30pm they knew that they had a change in government.
In fact, even after what they call the early ballots—they have a system that allows people to vote ahead of the Election Day—people were saying that there was going to be a new government. The voting public had largely decided that the incumbent Stephen Fraser was not good for their country and that they were going to change him.
It was the very Stephen Fraser who was first elected to form a minority government. When his coalition became fractious he called new elections six months later. The people, obviously upset that the other party in the coalition did not give the Stephen Fraser government a chance, voted to give Fraser a clear majority.
During his tenure people became irritated with him over certain decisions he took and so it was that the elections hinged on issues. Canada has a large immigrant community but even these as opposed to their United States counterparts who are likely to vote overwhelmingly for the Democrats, are not really aligned to any political party. Issues dominate the polls.
It is worthy to note that Canada has a population that is sixty times larger than Guyana’s. Even more the country is nearly 100 times larger than Guyana with some parts so remote that it is hard for Guyanese to imagine. There are different time zones so that even initial results are being declared people are still voting.
It is indeed now cause for concern that in such a huge country the elections results can be declared within six hours while in Guyana it takes days. Even in the Caribbean results are declared within hours.
The visiting Elections Observer missions, in their post elections report, identified the declaration of results as one of the weaknesses of the electoral system in this country. They point to the fact that numbers cannot be declared until the various statements of poll are delivered to the Guyana Elections Commission.
The observer missions want this changed because they suspect that the delay can add to tensions and derail an orderly elections process. With each political party having agents in the polling stations and given the counting at the place of poll, each political party would have known the outcome of the elections within hours of the close of the polls.
In the wake of the May 11 elections in Guyana the two main political parties were claiming victory. They all had the figures. In the wake of the final results the confusion could be understood. The margin of victory was just over 4,000—a virtual dead heat.
Canadian Bank Note, some time back, had announced that it can allow for electronic voting but the government never pursued this option. The election observer missions are now saying that Guyana should amend the laws to allow for electronic voting which could be conducted alongside the manual balloting.
They called on the Granger administration to move swiftly to amend the legislation to allow for modern voting patterns. They all believe that national life should not be stalled by the counting of the vote. The Canadians voted on Monday and on Tuesday morning they were heading to work safe in the knowledge that there has been a change in Government.
Those who voted for the change know what they expect to see in the weeks and months ahead. If they do not see those things then they can put pressure on the government. No such thing can happen in Guyana without the resort to violence.

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show|| February, 10th, 2025

Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

THE BLUNT OF THE DAY

Sports

Fitness Express helps to fuel GAPLF Novices/Juniors Championship on Feb. 16

Fitness Express helps to fuel GAPLF Novices/Juniors Championship on...

Feb 14, 2025

Kaieteur Sports- With a number of new faces expected to grace the platform with their presence in a competitive setting on Sunday at Saint Stanislaus College Auditorium, longtime partner of...
Read More
Brackenridge ready to lead Slingerz FC to Elite League title

Brackenridge ready to lead Slingerz FC to Elite...

Feb 14, 2025

Day 2 abandoned due to rain, as teams pray for sunshine heading into 3rd

Day 2 abandoned due to rain, as teams pray for...

Feb 14, 2025

Shamar Joseph ‘Shocked and Honoured’ by ESPNCricinfo Awards Recognition

Shamar Joseph ‘Shocked and Honoured’...

Feb 14, 2025

One Guyana Mashramani Softball Cup set for Sunday February 16th at Bath Sports Club

One Guyana Mashramani Softball Cup set for Sunday...

Feb 14, 2025

Eagles survive shaky start on Rain-affected opening day

Eagles survive shaky start on Rain-affected...

Feb 13, 2025

Features/Columnists

Publisher’s Note

Freedom of speech is our core value at Kaieteur News. If the letter/e-mail you sent was not published, and you believe that its contents were not libellous, let us know, please contact us by phone or email.

Feel free to send us your comments and/or criticisms.
Contact: 624-6456; 225-8452; 225-8458; 225-8463; 225-8465; 225-8473 or 225-8491.
Or by Email: [email protected] / [email protected]

Weekend Cartoon

Bridge Watch

Demerara Harbour Bridge

> Berbice Bridge […]