City at a standstill as nation awaits outcome of polls

Mar 04, 2020 News

– Other towns try to maintain routine activities

By Shikema Dey

The March 2, 2020 General and Regional Elections began with a flurry of excitement and emotions. Guyanese were up and about early, banging pots and pans, blowing horns, blasting slogans; alerting the masses to come out in their numbers and exercise their constitutional right. And that they did.
From as early as 5:30 am, the polling stations were filled to the brim with the young and old, and all others who came out to vote in the “mother of all” elections. Throughout the day, voters trickled in and by the close of polls, the town became a ghost zone – deserted – with many persons locked up in their homes awaiting the announcement of the results.

Businesses on the Essequibo Coast were still operating after 6 pm yesterday

This scarcity of movement carried over to yesterday, the day after the elections.
The usual “hustle and bustle” of the capital was at a minimum. Scores of stores, especially on Regent Street were shut tight and the ones that were open were seen with shutters halfway down.
Traffic movement was visible, but it seemed as if it were a National holiday.
Most of the city schools were open, but the attendance was not as it would be on a normal day.
It was as if the entire city was put on “pause” as the wait continues for declaration of the winner.
BUSINESS AS USUAL IN THE ANCIENT COUNTY
Amid the aftermath of elections in Berbice, persons were going about their business yesterday. Businesses in Rose Hall Town and other areas on the lower and upper Corentyne were opened as usual

A business at Belvedere on the Corentyne

with shoppers bustling through and a steady flow of vehicles.
Elections night saw persons from various villages having a “celebration drink” with the hopes that the party they voted for turns out victorious.
Many persons were seen congregating in groups or just meeting up with acquaintances yesterday as they headed to and from work and shopping.
The elections were the “talk of the town” as persons seemed eager to hear the final results.
Some persons who wanted to speak off record shared that while activities continue as normal there is a tense, uncertain feeling as they await the outcome.
A young woman who happened to meet her friend while shopping at the local Chinese Supermarket at Hampshire Village, was overheard questioning why the results were taking so long to be released, while her friend assured her “the wait gon’ be worth it”.
While GECOM continues to work around the clock to bring the results to the nation, Berbicians continue

Regent Street stores closedto exhibit patience

CINDERELLA COUNTY RESUMES OPERATIONS
Meanwhile, persons were back to their daily routine, especially in the commercial locations along the Essequibo Coast, all of which were in operation yesterday.
On the Coast, there are two prime business locations, Charity, which is the northern port of entry, and Anna Regina, which is centrally located on the narrow coast.
Anna Regina consists of several supermarkets, four gas stations, a mall, mega stores, three commercial banks and the Anna Regina Market. During the course of yesterday, all commercial entities were opened for business, even operating within their usual hours. In Charity, the waterfront area, which is the prime business location, there was some amount of activity until late in the afternoon.
Persons throughout Guyana are anticipating the effects that the elections results may have on the society.

A gas station boarded up on Regent St.

When asked yesterday why operate when most businesses in the capital are closed, a supermarket holder replied, “One of the things we need to understand is that the people on the Essequibo Coast are more ‘close knitted.’ Everybody is somebody neighbour down here… I mean we have the right to vote, we went out, we voted, and now I think is time to set our political differences aside and get back to living… at the end of the day we still got our life to live and business to do.”
This publication spoke with a total of four business owners, all of whom are calling on party supporters to peacefully accept the results soon to be announced by GECOM.
KEEP THE PEACE
The two major political players in Guyana, the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) and A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/ AFC) coalition called on Guyanese to remain calm and keep the peace as the elections results are being tabulated.
The coalition in their release implored Guyanese “to continue to remain calm and to go about your daily activities in a spirit of peace and optimism.”
“We are cognizant that there will be anxieties for results but we reiterate that we must allow GECOM to do its work and await the official announcement.”
The PPP statement mirrored the same but they sought to remind Guyanese that the Guyana Election Commission is the only authorized body that can declare the official elections results.
(Additional reporting done by Malisa Playter Harry in Berbice and Romario Blair in Essequibo)