Tag Archives: elections

GUYANA: Politics: Aubrey Norton Is At A Fork In The Road – By Ralph Ramkarran

04/19/2022 – 11:48 am

Posted by Ralph Ramkarran

The fundamental objective of a political party is to gain political office and implement its policies for the benefit of the country. After months of grueling effort, Aubrey Norton has finally succeeded in overcoming ‘factionalism’ in the PNC by being nominated for a seat in the National Assembly and being elected as Opposition Leader. The word ‘factionalism’ is adopted from an editorial in Village Voice, an internet newspaper that is generally sympathetic to the Opposition. It discussed Norton’s journey from candidate to Opposition Leader.

It is generally difficult in Guyana to interrogate factionalism in the PPP and PNC because information about internal differences of opinion is unavailable or unreliable. In the case of Mr. Norton’s rise to the leadership of the PNC, it is a bit easier because  Continue reading →

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GUYANA Politics: That “Bloated” Electoral List – by Ralph Ramkarran 

04/14/2021 – 12:03 am
Ralph Ramkarran  – Conversation Tree Blog 

In 2010 I wrote an article on the overseas vote in which I argued that the Constitution of Guyana permitted all Guyanese citizens over the age of 18 to vote. Since there was no residence stipulation, Guyanese residing overseas have a right to vote. As readers would imagine, it elicited some controversy. I was a member of the leadership of the PPP at that time.

Mr. Robert Corbin, then leader of the PNCR, in a masterful display of irony, accused the PPP of seeking to re-introduce the overseas vote which, incidentally, the PNC had facilitated and grossly manipulated in the 1968 elections so much so that voters were registered as residing at the address of a horse pasture in the UK.        Continue reading →

By guyaneseonline | Posted in Commentary, Government, Guyana, Guyana Diaspora, Guyana elections, Personalities, Politics, Racial Conflict | Also tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments (4)

Guyana Elections: No Jagdeo-Granger talks despite GECOM’s efforts

08/02/2020 – 1:31 pm

Demerara Waves – by: Denis Chabrol –August 2, 2020

President David Granger and Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo will not be holding any talks on “the way forward” before the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) declares the results of the March 2, 2020 general elections, Jagdeo said.

GECOM is expected to meet again  at 2 PM Sunday.

Pro-APNU+AFC Elections Commissioner, Charles Corbin said he and his two other colleagues-Vincent Alexander and Desmond Trotman- told Sunday morning’s meeting of the Commission that “utilising that information (from the national vote recount) can cause a lot of ripples in the society” although GECOM has the power to use those numbers.          Continue reading →

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GUYANA: OPINION: Neither of the two major parties could govern effectively anymore – by GHK Lall

03/08/2020 – 3:56 pm

Posted in Demerara Waves – March 8, 2020 – by GHK Lall

In a flash we went from what was about disagreeing to what is now the disbelieving. I don’t care how we got there, the fact is that we are here, and it is inflaming, distressing, and devastating. I don’t like it; I don’t agree with it; I don’t think what developed on Thursday could stand. I wish I could take a different tact, but I just can’t.

From one corner, there are shouts about winning, yet there is no celebrating. If this is winning, then we are better off without it. If this is about respect for the whole process, then the bottom has just fallen out from this society; it has no moorings; it has just lost its visions of what lies ahead. Already I sense the stirrings of instability, of chronic wretchedness gathering for a full head of steam.      Continue reading →

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GECOM: “Bloated” final voters list of 661,928 ready – elections commissioner

01/29/2020 – 12:14 am
By: Denis Chabrol in  Demerara Waves – January 28, 2020

As the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) prepares to certify the final voters list, also called the Official List of Electors (OLE), containing 661,028 persons, at least one pro-coalition elections commissioner on Tuesday reiterated that the roll is bloated.

“So, clearly we are going forward with a bloated list because there is no circumstance under which a population of 750,000 plus with a school population and under-18 persons of approximately 200,000 can produce a voters list of over 661,000,” GECOM Commissioner Vincent Alexander told reporters.        Continue reading →

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Guyana Politics: Granger publicly declares Ramjattan prime ministerial running mate

01/09/2020 – 12:39 am
Posted by: Denis Chabrol in Demerara Waves – January 8, 2020

APNU+AFC prime ministerial candidate Khemraj Ramjattan, and presidential candidate, David Granger.

Presidential candidate for A Partnership for National Unity+Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC), David Granger Wednesday night for the first time publicly announced that AFC Leader, Khemraj Ramjattan would be his prime ministerial running mate, even as he issued a stirring appeal for supporters to vote out the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) from controlling Region 5 (Mahaica-West Berbice).

“Khemraj and I have signed on the dotted line. Khemraj Ramjattan will be my prime minister,” he said to rousing applause at an APNU+AFC rally at Hopetown, West Berbice. APNU and AFC on December 24, 2019 signed a revised political agreement named the Cummingsburg Accord after protracted negotiations.        Continue reading →

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Guyana Elections 2020: the perfect vision of the usual right down the middle – By GHK Lall

01/07/2020 – 12:23 am

Posted by: Denis Chabrol in Demerara Waves  – January 6, 2020

 — by GHK Lall

On occasion, I am prompted to believe that I am the wisest one around here, and since that is far from accurate, I will settle for the sanest. For in the past few days of this New Year, this pivotal year of 2020, there came confirmation of things that needed no confirmation. None whatsoever, because as is so obvious, they are characterized by so much of what is of mere commonsense.

First, there was the coalition leadership entourage in full regalia at their kickoff proceedings. It was rousing, electrifying, and there was one more thing: there was a crowd of people: raucous, excited supporters, thousands of them, from what I read and heard. Did anybody, any Guyanese, require that kind of confirmation? I certainly didn’t, which is why I said from the get-go that this political contest has only one manifestation.          Continue reading →

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Guyana Politics: Granger-led coalition “likely” to win next “close” election -US Congress report

12/24/2019 – 12:12 am

Posted by: Denis Chabrol in Demerara Waves – December 23, 2019 

The United States Congressional Research Service (CRS), a think-tank for the United States (U.S.) Congress, says some analysts believe that the David Granger-led coalition is likely to win next year’s general elections.

“Past general elections in Guyana suggest the 2020 race will be close, but some analysts contend the APNU/AFC’s multiparty and cross-ethnic coalition is likely to sustain the Granger government in power,” the CRS said in its December 6, 2019 edition. 

Granger’s People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) is the largest party in A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) umbrella which includes the often vocal Working People’s Alliance (WPA). The Alliance For Change (AFC) is the second largest party in the entire coalition.      Continue reading →

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Guyana Politics: A relatively dignified December – mainly politically speaking – By GHK Lall

12/22/2019 – 12:11 am

 December 21, 2019 – Demerara Waves – By GHK Lall

By Guyanese standards, it has been a relatively dignified December. In fact, it has been the most placid month of this stormy year. Still, I had to wait for the safety of over two thirds of the month to pass, before I am able to say that a strange quiet took hold, mostly on the political front.

I begin with that coal-pot of the raging constitutional entity called GECOM, which itself sounded reasonably becalmed. The chair herself led by example; she is not seen, only heard, like some Greek goddess of yore handing down the unique Guyanese electoral wisdoms from Olympus. I hope that things do not fly to her head, and the lady actually begins to believe (in true Guyanese fashion) that she actually is a goddess. But whenever she speaks, everybody straightens up and listens; this was what happened in December with polite listening across the political force field. The rowdy political pack named commissioners did comport themselves as adults in December, and everybody survived to tell the tale.          Continue reading →

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Guyana Elections: “I ruled for transparency”- for field verification of registrants – GECOM Chairman

12/22/2019 – 12:02 am
Posted by: Denis Chabrol in Demerara Waves – December 18, 2019

The Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) Chairman, Claudette Singh on Wednesday defended her decision to vote in favour of field verification of so far 16,000 registrants before they are included in the National Register of Registrants (NRR).

“I ruled in the interest of transparency and because I would like a credible list…I would like all to have a level playing field that in the end no one can complain that GECOM did something which was just foisted on them without having the list of the new registrants fully verified so that is my reason in the interest of transparency,” she said.        Continue reading →

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