The result of the general elections was announced by the Guyana Elections Commission on Thursday and saw PPP/C Presidential candidate Donald Ramotar being sworn in as president of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana on Saturday. Immediately following this announcement we asked the man in the street and members of the three major parties who contested the elections for their reactions. This is what they had to say.
George Marshall, Resident – `First I must say congratulations to the first time voters, the young people who went out there and made their votes count but then again as I understand it, the whole election system we need to look at it. I don’t know what they can do in the constitution but we have to look at it and move away from this kind of a system we have now. We need a more modernized system of running elections and counting ballots. We are too way behind as it is right now and it could never be right for a small country with such a small voting population having to wait three days for a final result. We need to have a system where we can have results the following day. As is it’s causing a lot of questions and giving people a lot of ideas. I want the young people who came out and vote to get their reward and that they are not disappointed.’
Alphonso David Martin, Professor – `I am drinking and celebrating because the people of Guyana have won because no party has the majority in parliament. They can’t come and shove stuff down my throat and say eat, that means that we the people have won and we all need to take a drink. The results have also shown that Guyana is still racially polarized and if Mr. Nagamootoo had not brought out the votes in Region 6, the PPP would have had control of parliament again and it would have been back to square one again. Thank God for Mr. Nagamootoo.’
Norris Simon, AFC supporter – `It is surprising if not disturbing to note that after 19 years a person who could not have held a ministerial post in government is now the President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana. I am happy at the fact that the AFC holds the balance of power in that the government cannot wake up and unilaterally make decisions and have them carried out; they have to be supported by somebody in order for it to be carried. In the event of the government making a proposal and APNU wholeheartedly challenging it without weighing it whether it’s good or bad for the economy then the AFC can step in and decide which side they are going to support for the greater good of the country.’
Garfield Hoyte, Businessman – `My thoughts on the results is that the people have voiced their opinion. I am totally surprised at a hundred odd thousand persons not voting but I guess it’s because of the fact that they felt nothing for the country and I hope with the fact that there is no majority party rule right now changes are going to take place and people are going to wake up and in five years we should see something real.’
Antonio Hackett, AFC supporter –`I know the results long before the regular people on the road because of who I happen to know but for me the campaign is not over. We are going to continue campaigning because we want a free and fairer country, that’s all we
want for our kids and grand kids, that’s all we want.’
Phillip Bynoe, PPP/C supporter – `People in Guyana and abroad have been praying and asking God to show Guyana a way out of its problems and what causes our problems, the cleavages etc, and these elections results to me demonstrated a way that God has decided to answer these prayers. In fact what the Guyanese public have said to their political leaders, without questions, is that for you to serve us, you, the political parties have to work together. As it stands no law can be passed in Guyana without the participation of at least two political parties in parliament and that is the first time that has happened in Guyana since we got the new constitution.
This is the first time that we are having a minority government and hence I see positive things on the horizon. I think Donald Ramotar is the ideal person to ensure that some semblance of shared governance at least at the parliamentary level in fact occurs. As for Linden and Region 10 everybody knows my position and we also know that in 2006 Region 10 voted for the PNC and the PNC disappeared after elections.
They didn’t come and sit down with the people to discuss their problems and hear their grievances. This year Region 10 voted overwhelmingly for APNU and I hope that they don’t disintegrate immediately and throw the whole political process in so far as it pertains to the people who voted for them, in disarray because that can easily happen. By and large I am happy, I wanted more for Region 10 to vote for the PPP/Civic but in retrospect it did not happen but we must accept what happen and move forward. I am prepared to work with whoever leader emerges, to bring rapid development to Region 10.’
Eon Reynolds, APNU supporter – `I am in great despair, I am very sad, we feel cheated and treated unfairly because we worked so hard for a change of government and after three day of waiting for a result that was obviously won by the APNU based on the statements of poll we collected and to be told that the PPP/C won I am very disappointed in the PPP/C, with GECOM, Mr. Surujbally, Mr. Gocool Boodoo and all their staff.’
Courtney Handy, Community Coordinator PPP/C –`I am very happy that Cde. Donald has won but of course in Linden we should have done much better. We have tried but I know that the odds were against us and I am hoping that maybe the next time around we would be able to deliver. Of course we have our own internal issues that we need to address and as soon as we would have crossed those hurdles, I know that the PPP would be victorious in
Region #10. The way forward is that we all have to work together, the elections has come and gone and its time for us to rebuild and work together. The government of the day is responsible for the entire country and I am quite certain that under the leadership of Donald Ramotar we will deliver of our best to the people of Guyana.’
Vanbourne Brown, PPP/C supporter –`I think the results is because of the Guyanese people have voted and everything is over now and it’s time to turn a new page and move on. I know that Donald Ramotar will do well for Guyana because he is a balanced person because I have known him for a number of years. I think what
has happened in terms of seats and number of seats it’s all in the best interest of every Guyanese person.’
