Latest update February 8th, 2025 6:23 PM
Latest News
- Soaring gold price entices Canadian company to renew permits in Guyana
- Terrence Campbell accuses Govt. of weaponizing Police Force after calls for accountability with oil revenues
- China slams US as Panama quits Belt and Road Initiative
- Guyana extradites fugitive to Canada
- AFC Leader Nigel Hughes welcomes any investigation into lands he acquired
LGE should be about real issues
Local government elections (LGE) are about three months away and potential voters are anxiously waiting for the political parties to reveal their community development strategies. Elections are critical to the survival of our democracy and every eligible voter should embrace the opportunity to participate.
Casting a ballot enables one to have a say on the issues that matter most to them and determine who has put forward the best programme to address their concerns. Thus, the right to vote must be taken seriously.
In this election, there will be no shortage of serious questions facing the politicians such as the struggling economy, the future of GuySuCo and the rice and mining industries, leadership, good governance, corruption, crime and security, healthcare and educational issues, and the moral breakdown in society, among other issues.
The charges and counter-charges, mud-slinging, controversies, propaganda, distortions, untruths and insults that are likely to inundate the campaign, will undoubtedly leave voters hard pressed to contemplate on the economic and social challenges facing the country There is no question that this election campaign will be defined by the two main political parties dodging the real questions facing the country and appealing to their racial bases for support.
While there will be catchy party tunes, attractive T-shirts, funny ads and big concerts, the campaign will unlikely provide any insight into what the parties have to offer.
There will be promises of providing better conditions and salary increases for civil/public servants, reducing crime and corruption, ending homelessness and improving the plight of the poor, among others.
But if history is any guide, most of these promises will not be fulfilled.
The truth is people have lost interest in politics after repeated promises are broken, pledges made in manifestos are forgotten, and elected officials fail to maintain contacts with their constituents.
It is no wonder that some disenchanted, eligible voters who voted in the last elections have declared they would not vote this time around? The reason being the political leaders have abandoned many of their supporters, especially youths.
There are huge stakes in the upcoming LGE scheduled for November 12, and politicians from both sides of the aisle have to be concerned about the outcome and about the future of the country. They have a responsibility to raise the bar and solve the serious problems affecting the people. The electorate deserves better and should demand more. Many are tired of hearing about past achievements and the casting of blame on each other for the lack of achievement. People are fed up and are eager to change this old style of politics.
While this LGE will be a referendum on the government, there is the need for voices of reason; politicians of goodwill and standard bearers to speak up and ensure that the real issues come to the fore and people get real answers.
Whether or not the leaders choose to engage one another in organized debates, and by all means they should, they need to be candid, honest and serious about how they will address the problems affecting the regions.
Under our system of government, the people are ultimately the source of all power.
They must use their power to teach politicians who have insulted their intelligence over the years a deserving lesson. They must shrug off racial and partisan politics and force candidates to discuss the issues.
They must assert themselves, because for too long, politicians have put their interests first. It is time for voters to take control and let the politicians know that the country should be their priority and not their personal aspirations.
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