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Citizens more concerned about making ends meet, not lections

Apr 18, 2023 Letters

Dear Editor,

Local Government Elections are some eight weeks away. Candidates filed nominations on Monday. The PPP that governs at the center says it has put up candidates in all seats in all eighty local entities (70 NDCs and 10 Municipalities).

The AFC said it is not contesting LGE 2023. It is not known as yet how many seats the opposition PNC and independents are contesting. But the official opposition party says it is contesting in all of its strongholds. The statement suggests that PNC will not contest in PPP strongholds, giving the party a free pass. And even if the PNC does field candidates, it will be decimated in seats traditionally won by the PPP.

Polling data from January thru now shows defeat is staring in the face of the opposition forces. There is no support for low key, unknown independents. The PNC is not attracting much support and several prominent individuals once associated with the party as recently as 2021 have crossed over to the ruling PPP.  There is no cross over support towards PNC, and no voter indicated they will migrate from PPP to PNC. However, there is a lot of cross over racial support (from PNC) for PPP that enhances its prospect of wresting seats traditionally won by PNC.  The PPP is making inroads everywhere in every municipality and stronghold of the PNC. Polling suggests that the PPP will do extremely well in Georgetown, Linden, New Amsterdam and other urban areas. The incumbent party will run away with the elections winning more than three quarters of the 80 bodies. So far, the LGE has been a low key affair. There is hardly any significant PNC presence in any neighborhoods.  There is virtually no election related materials not even in its strongholds. In contrast, the PPP election paraphernalia are overwhelmingly on display swarming entire neighborhoods including PNC strongholds.  The PNC campaign comes across as insufficiently funded, uncoordinated, and lacking focus and appears divided as prominent MPs and former stalwarts are not part of the LGE campaign.

Supporters of the PNC blame the parlous state of affairs of the opposition party on the leadership of Aubrey Norton. Also, voters have nothing complimentary to say about the PNC and its leadership.

In contrast with the PNC, the PPP comes across as very united and organized and flush with funds. It has been successful to attract several cross over candidates in NDCs that PNC won in the last two LGEs. In addition, President Irfaan Ali’s leadership has been praised, and he has been credited for bringing people together and spreading development work all over the country as against what occurred during the tenure of the coalition. The ruling party has also been praised for focusing on economic recovery after the devastating consequences of Covid-19.

One problem with the LGE is many people are not aware there is an election.  More than half of the population appears tuned out and tone deaf and are more focused on making ends meet rather than on joining a campaign. They complain about high cost of living and low wages to be bothered about elections. Thus, turnout will be very low, impacting both major parties.

Yours truly,

Vishnu Bisram

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