PPP/C COULD WIN A GOOD MAJORITY – IT WILL NOT BE EASY

Jul 30, 2025 Letters

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Dear Editor,

Kaieteur News – For the 2011, 2015 and 2020 national elections, the PPP/C won 32, 32 and 33 seats respectively in the National Assembly. The other political parties, primarily APNU and AFC, won 33, 33 and 32 seats respectively. Consequently, in 2011, the APNU and AFC parties had a 1 seat majority in the National Assembly and the PPP/C won the Presidency. In 2015, APNU/AFC won a 1 seat majority in the National Assembly, and also the Presidency. In 2020, the PPP/C won a 1 seat majority and also the Presidency.

To find common ground for building and sustaining national unity to continue transforming Guyana, the PPP/C has to find a way to overcome the continuous cycle of almost equivalent results in national elections. This letter explores how that objective could be accomplished.

For the 2025 national elections, it is clear that the PPP/C will win the most votes for the Presidency because President Irfaan Ali and his Cabinet have delivered on its promises with impressive, groundbreaking and inclusive ‘One Guyana’ economic, social, legal, environmental, technological and security policies to ensure that no individual, family or community is left behind in the ongoing transformation of Guyana.

During the last Population Census of 2012, Guyanese self-identified their ethnic ancestry as follows: 39.8% Indian; 29.3% African; 19.9% ethnically Mixed; 10.5% Indigenous/Amerindian; and 0.5% Portuguese, Chinese and European.

In the 2020 national elections, using that 2012 census, my estimation is that about 25% of the PPP/C’s 233,336 valid votes were from Guyanese of Indigenous/Amerindian descent, of ethnically Mixed descent, of African descent, and of Portuguese, Chinese and European descent. Their votes were equivalent to 8 seats in the National Assembly. Without their support, the PPP/C would have won just 25 seats, instead of the 33 seats it achieved. However, that multi-ethnic and multi-racial support was not sufficiently large enough for the PPP/C to win more than a 1 seat majority.

Therefore, in the 2025 elections, to win at least 36 seats (55.4% of all valid votes) so that the unprecedented progress could continue under President Ali, the PPP/C will have to ensure that at least 30.3% of its total votes will have to come from Guyanese of ethnically Mixed descent, of Indigenous/Amerindian descent, of African descent, and of Portuguese, Chinese and European descent. This will not be easy to do. However, as the legendary Nelson Mandela once said: “It always seems impossible until it is done.”

In addition to the votes it won in 2020 from these communities, the party will have to win in 2025 at least an additional 12,632 new votes from ethnically Mixed Guyanese, an additional 9,630 new votes from Guyanese of Indigenous/Amerindian descent, an additional 9,038 new votes from Guyanese of African descent, and an additional 583 new votes from Guyanese of Portuguese, Chinese and European descent. The total votes from these communities would then be equivalent to 11 seats in the National Assembly. Just as important, the PPP/C has to continue the full mobilization of its traditional base because it will have to win at least an additional 32,767 new votes from Guyanese of Indian descent that would be equivalent to 25 seats.

This means that, if the PPP/C was to depend on support exclusively from Guyanese of Indian descent, it would win only 25 seats. If the party was to get more support from Guyanese of Indian descent and of Indigenous/Amerindian descent, it would win 30 seats. If the party was to get more votes from Guyanese of Indian descent, of Indigenous/Amerindian descent, and of ethnically Mixed descent, it would win 34 seats. And, if the PPP/C was to get more votes from Guyanese of Indian descent, of Indigenous/Amerindian descent, of ethnically Mixed descent, and also of African descent, it would win 36 seats.

But, this is not just about winning a political majority. Fundamentally, it is about doing the right thing. A truly national party must have a membership and a support base that is representative of all Guyanese. President Irfaan Ali and General Secretary of the PPP/C, Bharrat Jagdeo, are reaching out and successfully leading the way to return the party to its roots, when in the 1953 national elections under the leadership of Cheddi Jagan, the PPP won 18 of 24 seats because it was the only national party that had a diverse membership and support base which was multi-ethnic, multi-racial and multi-class.

In addition to convincing relatives, friends, co-workers and neighbours, every PPP/C member and supporter has to reach out to every household and persuade them to vote for the PPP/C because the party has demonstrated that it does not and will not practice domination, exclusion or marginalization of any Guyanese individual or community.

About 78% of the PPP/C’s new additional votes will have to come from Regions 4, 3, 6, and 2.

Region 4 – In 2020, the PPP/C won 80,920 votes for 40.04% of the total votes cast in the region. That was a good result. The PPP/C could win an additional 22,150 more votes from Guyanese of ethnically Mixed descent, of African descent, and of Indian descent. Historically, about 71.7% of registered voters usually turn out to vote. Winning a good majority of seats will require the highest turnout of PPP/C supporters. More education is necessary on what is required to cast a valid vote because 1,665 of the ballots cast in this region were rejected in 2020.

Region 3 –In 2020, the PPP/C won 47,851 votes for 65.92% of the total votes cast in the region. That was a very good result. The PPP/C could win an additional 12,044 more votes from Guyanese of ethnically Mixed descent, of Indian descent, of African descent, and of Indigenous/Amerindian descent. Historically, about 73% of registered voters usually turn out to vote. Winning a good majority of seats will require the highest turnout of PPP/C supporters. More education is necessary on what is required to cast a valid vote because 485 of the ballots cast in this region were rejected in 2020.

Region 6 – In 2020, the PPP/C won 43,440 votes for 67.28% of the total votes cast in the region. That was a good result. The PPP/C could win an additional 11,560 more votes from Guyanese of ethnically Mixed descent, of Indian descent, of African descent and of Indigenous/Amerindian descent. Historically, about 71.8% of registered voters usually turn out to vote. Winning a good majority of seats will require the highest turnout of PPP/C supporters. More education is necessary on what is required to cast a valid vote because 512 of the ballots cast were rejected in 2020.

Region 2 – In 2020, the PPP/C won 18,785 votes for 70.56% of the total votes cast in this region. That was an excellent result. The PPP/C could win an additional 4,383 more votes from Guyanese of ethnically Mixed descent, of Indigenous/Amerindian descent, of Indian descent, and of African descent. Historically, about 70% of registered voters usually turn out to vote. Winning a good majority of seats will require the highest turnout of PPP/C supporters. More education is necessary on what is required to cast a valid vote because 251 of the ballots cast were rejected in 2020.

In a subsequent letter, I will analyze the opportunities for the PPP/C to win more new votes in Regions 1, 5, 7, 8, 9 and 10.

Yours Sincerely,

Geoffrey Da Silva

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• APNU, Elections, Geoffrey Da Silva, majority, PPPC

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