Dear Editor,
There is much talk among Guyanese about today’s voting, about whether Guyanese would come out to vote and who they should vote for given that few politicians pay attention to the Guyanese community. Today, Tuesday, is Voting Day in New York and several other states – Primary Election Day to choose a party’s candidate for November’s general election. Primary election is when members (or supporters) of a party get to decide who should be their party’s candidate for an office. It is not as it is in Guyana where a handful of party officials get together and make backroom deals on who will be their party’s candidate for office. In America, party members choose the candidate in an open process where all members get to vote to choose a nominee (the person who will run for office as the representative of the people). The nominee is the party’s standard bearer for the general election. In most seats, the Republicans have no primaries because in some areas the Republican Party has few members (or supporters) and few wish to be the party’s nominee. The Democratic Party has a primary in virtually every seat. Most Guyanese are registered as Democratic supporters.
In today’s primary New Yorkers will choose their candidate for Governor, Lieutenant Governor, State Senator and State Assembly person, among others. Polls open at 6am and close at 8pm. Community leaders are urging everyone to come out and vote – to be part of the democratic process.
In the greater Richmond Hill, James Saunders is seeking re-election as Senator. He won in 2012 primarily because Guyanese and South Asians came out for him and he has delivered a lot to the community. Mike Miller is seeking re-election to the Assembly. In nearby Jamaica Estates, John Liu is challenging Tony Avella for his Senate seat. Many Guyanese, Asian and Caribbean people reside in the area. John Liu has been a good friend of the Guyanese and Caribbean communities throughout the city. He sponsored Diwali, Phagwah and Guyana Day celebrations at City Hall. He is in a tough primary against Avella; both of them ran unsuccessfully for Mayor. Liu has courted Guyanese and Caribbean voters and reached out to them. Many prominent community and labour leaders have endorsed him and held fundraisers to help his campaign. He has promised to address the issue of immigration which is of paramount importance to immigrant groups in New York.
There are several other important races across the city, especially in communities where Guyanese reside in Queens and Brooklyn, and their vote could help make the difference in who wins. Guyanese American John Sampson is also seeking re-election from Brooklyn to the Senate. Andrew Cuomo has done a fairly good job as Governor and deserves re-election. Kathy Hochul has been endorsed by Hillary Clinton and Mayor Bill DeBlasio as well as by Caribbean community leaders for Lt Governor.
I am urging fellow Guyanese and other Caribbean Americans to come out in their numbers and vote in the primary to nominate a candidate for their party. They are also urged to join a campaign as I have been doing to develop relations with candidates who could better serve their communities.
Yours faithfully,
Vishnu Bisram
