With Local Government Elections (LGE) over, residents of Bartica are hoping that the historic vote rejuvenates their community and addresses key problems like unemployment.
In the First-Past-the-Post contests on Friday, APNU+AFC won eight constituencies and the PPP/C won one. In the Proportional Representation contest, APNU+AFC won six seats, the PPP/C won two seats and the Bartica Independent Green Alliance (BIGA) won one seat. Bartica was gazetted as a new town last year.
Speaking to Stabroek News on Saturday, Bartica resident Wally Khan said that while the party he voted for did not win, he is satisfied with the results. “I am a staunch PPP supporter and I voted PPP but I believe it was fair, man,” Khan said, stating that while several basic things were promised he is looking forward to seeing tremendous development in the coming times. “We were told by some politicians that if the PPP/C or BIGA de win the development would’ve slashed and I believed that,” Khan added, stating that he is looking forward to the development and upgrading of the roads and drains and the implementation of a solid waste management plant to deal with the waste issue that is plaguing the community. “There’s the dumpsite that definitely needs to be moved and I hope they deal with the garbage issues as soon as possible,” he added.
Street vendor Daniel Bruce stated that he was happy with the voters’ turnout and is hoping to see a big change in Bartica that will strengthen the unity of the people. “To be truthful all I want to see in Bartica is change and so far we’ve seen a big change because of the LGE. How the community came out and showed their support for their parties made me feel glad,” Bruce said.
He stated that while he is excited for the imminent township status, he hopes that the transformation does not bring negative changes that affect him, as a street vendor, and others doing the same. “As a street vendor I would like to see whenever this place turn a town that I don’t get treated like an animal,” Bruce said, stating that whenever the council decides to move him from his spot, which he is expecting, he hopes that they provide a suitable area for him to continue his business. “Yeah, we will welcome all the adjustments that are going to come because we all want to see Bartica grow but I do hope that they live up to the expectations,” he added.
Bruce said that the most important thing he is expecting ahead, following the LGE is the focus on the unemployment that plagues the community. “Jobs for young people especially. That should be the focus. Since the new government come in now they doing so much yeah and I does buy papers every day and whenever I open the papers I always seeing like 1,000 people are being employed by somebody but we here ain’t getting employment and that’s the key thing right now,” Bruce said, stating that because of the unemployment issues, people, especially the younger folk, are forced to be on the streets without anything to do. “…And boss, you know is these same people that does pick up arms and find things to do and find themselves in problems,” he added.
Tackling
He suggested that there are many ways in which the unemployment issue can be tackled and stated that the gold miners’ groups should do more in the community. “To be truthful they have so many ways you could go about tackling this thing. For instance, the goldfield. Watch what going on right now in the goldfield. A lot of youngsters going out there [in the interior] and ain’t getting justice. The boss man owe them, when they work they ain’t getting the required amount of money and all those things,” he said, suggesting that the groups step up and get more serious. “This place does depend on mining and the youngsters prefer to go in the bush than be on the streets and if you look most street vendors is senior people, big people, while most of the youths head for the interior,” he added, stating that it would be wise for the government to invest more time in the mining sector since Bartica relies so heavily on it.
“Well you know when the gold sector is having problems then Bartica is having problems so they should try to get new avenues and ways to employ people. Take for instance GPL [Guyana Power and Light] over there. It’s a big firm right? But how many youngsters you see working from that facility? How many Barticians you see working there?” Bruce reasoned and questioned, stating that the facility usually brings and employs experienced persons from Georgetown which stifles the residents from Bartica.
“…Before you send a 10 or 15 people out of this place and train them and send them back to deal with their own community, they bringing in strangers from Georgetown. If you check in GPL is a lot of strangers and town man working there and running GPL. Not much Barticians,” he said, stating that there is an excess of skilled persons coming into the community which forces the youths to seek employment far away, especially the interior.
In tackling the issue of residents not being skilled enough, Bruce said that he hopes a training centre or trade school is developed for the community. “We need a trade school to boost the youths to take up their space in the community and to enhance their education so they don’t have to go into the bush anymore and search for work there and the tradesmen from all over coming and taking the good jobs,” Bruce added.
George (only name given), another resident from Bartica highlighted the unemployment issues and stated that Bartica should slowly move away from depending on mining and explore other avenues. “We rely on mining too much and is about time that we start bringing industries here. Bring factories here. There is so much we can do and rely on. We have so much space to do so much and that’s what I want to see,” he said, stating that the arrival of factories and industries would attack the unemployment issue as people around the town would be able to get jobs.
Green town
With Bartica aiming to become the first “green town”, a taxi driver, who did not want to be named, said he hopes that there are plans implemented soon to make such a change. “From since general elections they talking about green town this and that and I hope it is done because it is a good initiative. I hope all the street lights are changed to solar and we have an alternative energy source. Maybe solar panels or things of that sort but anything you know,” he said, stating that one of the most important issues that should be tackled is the waste disposal and storage issues.
“All in all I am just hoping that it wasn’t just fancy talk and politics and that these politicians keep their promises of their manifesto because we all want to see Bartica rise up to its true potential. We all know it can be so much more and that’s what we are working towards. All of us now, for a rejuvenated Bartica,” George added.
While there were 6,912 persons registered to vote in the new Bartica municipality, 3,397 persons or 49% cast their ballots. This was a higher turnout than many other local government areas and signified the interest in the race because of BIGA’s participation.
Of that number, 2,132 votes were for APNU+AFC, 853 for the PPP/C and 375 for BIGA, while there were 37 rejected ballots.
While the 49% voters’ turnout was higher than in other places, Bruce said that the Guyana Elections Commission (Gecom) should put in some more effort and upgrade the voting technology. “It was very hard for some people to leave this region here and go to their original district to vote and for people to leave wherever they are to come till here to vote. People don’t always got money around elections time to go home,” he said, suggesting that Gecom should implement plans that will make it possible for people to vote regardless of where they are in the country.
He said that while 49% was high compared to the rest of the country, it was still a low figure and people still do not yet understand the true meaning of LGE. “It’s really about democracy and about giving the people the power but people still don’t understand that and that’s all on Gecom. It’s up to them to mek sure that everybody understand it properly, you know,” he added.
