Thirteen parties enter 2020 elections race

Jan 11, 2020 News

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Nomination Day 2020 kicked off with a loud and energetic start at the Umana yesterday, where 13 parties went to declare their lists of candidates to contest the March 2020 General and Regional Elections.
From early in the morning, people were decked in green, yellow, white and other party colours, filling the streets for blocks all around. Many of these parties had already had their vehicles stationed near the Kingston compound since the previous morning.
By 13:30 hours, electoral advisors had already come into the compound, with GECOM Chair Justice Claudette Singh and her team of Commissioners, as well as Secretariat workers.
In the beginning, APNU+AFC supporters surrounded the compound, and all that could be seen was a sea of green, speckled with yellow. Music boxes could be heard playing political variants of popular songs. Persons could be observed waving green and yellow flags, and blowing horns.
A PPP motorcade approached Umana Yana when the clock struck 2pm. The contingent, like APNU+AFC was led by a truck blasting music that could be heard for blocks all around. The major party’s contingent consisted of hundreds of supporters in red shirts, waving black, red and yellow flags.
The APNU+AFC’s departure made way for the second contingent, the United Republican Party (URP). Its presidential candidate, Dr. Vishnu Bandhu, told reporters after the process that he has been contesting the election for a number of years now. His party has never been successful enough.
Asked why he is still determined, he said that his party still has a strong support base and that the URP is here to stay.
ANUG + FEDUP – married and divorced all in one day
A New and United Guyana (ANUG) and the Federal United Party (FEDUP) had been reported on by another section of the media as having coalesced. But it turned out the marriage fell apart in a matter of hours, according to FEDUP Executive Member Chandra Sohan.
When he was pressed by reporters on the reason for the abrupt divorce, he explained that he was just as stumped.
ANUG, led by former Speaker of the National Assembly, Ralph Ramkarran, is only contesting seven regions, since it experienced difficulties reaching regions One, Eight and Nine. Nevertheless, Ramkarran expressed confidence in the party’s chances throughout all regions in the General election.
Ramkarran explained that he has assessed the matter, which led him to the conclusion that ANUG has a lot of silent supporters. Ramkarran was keen to note that that support base is especially buttressed by persons who would usually vote with the PPP.
Asked about the reported coalition with FED UP, Ramkarran denied the joinder of the lists.
FED UP will only be contesting in the regional elections, for Regions Five and Six. The contingent experienced an issue during the declaration process, which led to the members having to leave for a few hours. Kaieteur News understands that a form had been missing from their document list. The contingent returned to the Umana Yana late in the afternoon, after the 5pm deadline had passed. Since they had already begun the declaration process, they were accommodated by GECOM, who assisted them to rectify the issue with haste.
YOUTHFUL PARTIES
Some of the new faces at Nomination Day included Gerald Forde, who is a medical doctor. On behalf of The New Movement (TNM), Forde stated that the presidential candidate Asha Kissoon. Representatives of the party were decked in black and white.
The party appears to be very youthful, with Forde stating that its membership does not see a future with the veteran major parties. The party, he said, will be focused on tackling corruption, youth unemployment, mental health and other similar issues.
Speaking on challenges faced so far, Forde said that the party has not had the best luck with older voters, who appear to be stuck in their ways. He said that they are too caught up in tribal, racial voting practices.
“They know that there is a problem, but they can’t move away from it.” The party is aware of other youth parties in the mix, like The Citizenship Initiative (TCI) whose Presidential candidate is Rhonda Lam.
TCI Executive Member Ruel Johnson said that the party is contesting in six regions in the regional elections. He said that the party had some logistical and socio-cultural challenges in getting the support needed to take part in elections in all regions.
He noted that the party is hoping to bring about a change in politics, which is one of the main reasons it was formed.
There was some reluctance to get involved in politics, Johnson explained, describing the process it embarked on to accumulate signatures.
Change Guyana led by Robert Badal said that his party garnered enough support to bring about a notable difference in the nation’s politics.
The party is contesting in six regions; time did not permit it to complete signature lists for all regions.
It was one of the small parties with the flashier campaigns. A white truck painted with Change Guyana slogans was driving around outside of the Pegasus Hotel compound, sometimes appearing to compete with the noisy PPP and APNU+AFC motorcades.
Appealing to crowds, the party vowed to end blackouts, lower taxes and create jobs for thousands.
Badal who spoke to reporters following the presentation of the list, said that he is confident that his list of candidates is in fact very convincing.
Organisation for the Victory of the People, (OVP) another small party is contesting for the regional seats.
The party led by Gerald Pereira said it will not be contesting for the presidency because it will be supporting the APNU+AFC party in the general elections.
The party is in support of people’s empowerment and wants to work on behalf of citizens at the grassroots level to ensure their basic needs, such as for land and housing, are met.
Lenox Shuman of the Liberty and Justice Party (LJP) was grilled about dual citizenship, namely his Canadian citizenship, which he claims to have already sorted out.
Shuman said that he already made the formal application to have his citizenship relinquished, and that that was sorted out since December last.
Representing the Guyana National Service Party (GNS) was Oral Semple. He claims to have stood outside alone all afternoon. He told media operatives he is not the party ‘s leader. That person is Arthur Fredericks, he said.
He was lone representative of his party at Nomination Day since according to him, the rest of his party was at work and could not make it.
The People’s Republican Party (PRP) is a Christian political party, who came to present its candidates late in the afternoon. PRP’s presidential candidate is Valerie Leung. The party had a prayer session before entering the Umana Yana.
The National Independent Party (NIP), led by Attorney-at-Law Saphier Hussain, is on a quest to make Guyana a territory of the United States of America. Husain is the presidential candidate of his party.

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