The census and its political implications

The census figures substantially confirm the analysis I made in an article ‘The future of the PPP’ published in November, 2012. I had argued at that time that a declining Indian population had an impact on the election results of 2011, having regard to ethnic voting patterns. I had also indicated that the effect of a slowly decreasing Indian population could be seen in voting patterns and results since 1992. The census results show that in Region 6, a stronghold of the PPP, the population declined by 15,000 at the end of 2012. Adding Regions 5 and 3, also strongholds of the PPP, there was a total decline of 20,000 persons.

There was no publication of figures indicating the sizes of the various ethnic groups in Guyana. I had predicted at that time that the Indian population is likely to have gone below 40 per cent.

The census of 2002 showed the Indian population to be 42 per cent and I had based my prediction on the prior rate of decline. I do not know