Dear Editor,
Many observers, including the government and the opposition PPP, framed the recent local government elections (LGE) as a referendum on the APNU+AFC coalition’s performance in government. In many respects it is a characterization that’s difficult to avoid. Coming mere months after a bitterly fought general election which resulted in a razor thin win for the coalition, both the government and the opposition wanted that characterization for different reasons.
It was hoped that a good showing by the governing coalition would give it much needed confidence that its stewardship is on track and that it enjoys the validation, at least, of its constituency.
For the opposition PPP, a good performance would satisfy the party that its loss of the general election represents a temporary setback and that its constituency continues to reject the coalition. In the end, the LGE and the results which have so far been made available tell us very little, if anything, about the electorate’s feelings about the coalition’s tenure in office. So as it turned out, the elections were not a referendum on the government. Rather they tell us more about the general state of politics in the country, including the attitude of the general populace—it was a referendum on our general political condition.
Perhaps the most revealing outcome of the election was the low voter turnout. From all accounts it seems to have been below 50%. Many have blamed the low turnout on Friday on a lack of voter education and/or voter disinterest. I think the latter is closer to the truth. But we have to explain why the steep decline in interest a mere 10 months after the general election. I think it has to do with the inability of political parties, in and out of office, to politically engage citizens beyond asking for votes or partisan political abuse. Until political parties engage the people in meaningful ways and do so regularly, we will continue to see some energy at general elections and very little afterwards.
The second lesson of the recent LGEs is that despite voter disinterest, those who bother to vote are motivated by the parties. One cannot fault the independent groups and individuals for trying. But when it comes to elections, Guyana is simply not ready at this juncture for any challenge to the political party. Independent thought and action are appreciated once they are not tied to elections.
The third lesson is that the LGE showed no swing away from the traditional ethnic voting patterns. In that regard these elections were a mere extension of the general elections. Mr Jagdeo was brutally honest when he said that the PPP first line of action is to secure its East Indian base.
Yours faithfully,
David Hinds
