American Professor Dr David Lublin yesterday noted that while it is not unusual for countries to use proportional representation as its electoral system, Guyana’s system is more unique than most because of its closed list system which is controlled by the head of the list.
Speaking at a public lecture at the Theatre Guild, Lublin said that proportional representation is common worldwide and identified South Africa and the Netherlands as two nations where this system is utilized. “What is maybe a bit more unique is the list system where it is very closed and that essentially…the list is determined primarily by who the party leader wants to put on the list and, what order and could even change it a bit after the elections,” Lublin said. He was at the time responding to a question about the “pros and cons” of Guyana’s electoral process.
Lublin told the gathering, which filled less than half the auditorium, that in most of the countries there is some sort of “pre-selection” process where members of the party determine the order of the list, providing more inclusion to members of
