LOCAL GOVT. ELECTIONS - A REFERENDUM 2025

T h o u g h L o c a l Government Elections (LGE) results are still incomplete, some positions can be taken. The PNC did surprisingly well, while the PPP failed to impress Frankly,Ihadconcludedthe opposite since the PPP had so much in its favour, while the PNC was hobbled by so many weaknesses No matter how VP Jagdeo may spin about ‘inroads’ and progress, in the final analysis, it didn’t do squat, forallthePPPhadgoingfor it.

The PPP had limitless money; the PNC counted pennies The PPP had machinery and unity; the PNC suffered from its internals, disadvantaged by itsnarrowedfocus. ThePPP went everywhere; the PNC stuck to strongholds. The PPPcampaigned with a full house; the PNC was alone, with its main partner missing The PPP, as incumbent, controlled plentiful resources, with the PNClaggingfarbehind. Yet, despite low turnouts, PNC supporters came out, made their votes count. Thefactthatturnouts were low in proven PPP bastionsalsoemphasizethat therearemanyintheparty’s fold, who are disgruntled, disenchanted, even disillusioned. There is also the fact that the PNC made someprogressinacoupleof known PPP places. What I have warned about repeatedlyhascometopast. Citizensseethroughbrother J a g d e o ’ s v e r b a l smokescreens, his distortions about clean governance, and his palpable contortions with this resource patrimonies. Indeed, it is not only PNC followers who are having it hard; PPP supporters are feeling biting pinches. I thinkthatOppositionLeader Norton must be given full credit for his strategy (people and palms on the ground), his focus (areas of strength), and his quiet persistence (organize, mobilize)thatissurprisingly triumphant. I congratulate him.

Crossovers were trounced, abundant cash only moved some voters. PPP leadership hustles (chicken, T-shirts, cook-up rice, music and gyrating), and nuanced pressures were mostly met with rejection. Notwithstanding low turnout, LGE 2023 now stands as a referendum for E l e c t i o n s 2 0 2 5

Bottomline:LGEresultsare an expression of Guyanese voter outrage; both from who came out, and those whodidn’t. Linden stayed with the PNC, the birthplace of Corbin and Norton. New Amsterdam has some pushbacks Mahdia is reportedly a tie But conspicuously, some PPP communities leaned towardsthePNC. Whilethe PPP has been visible and active, the PNC’s LGE campaign has been subdued -resource deficits, primarily dogged leadership tactics. What was hostile territory before, the PPP made its presence felt, delivered its messages The P N C p u s h e d stoicallyaheadinits limitedspheres.

I t w o u l d b e interesting,revealing,how the PPP Government reacts to those places that disappointed. Would those votersthatturnedtheirbacks on the many thrilling appealsbepunishedfortheir stubborn loyalty to the PNC? Would their towns and communities be strangled of money, the oxygen of governmental operations? After all the time and money spent, all the grand speeches made, and all the lavish attention piledbysomeofthetopPPP political performers in PNC fortresses, to come up short will leave bitter tastes. It could also introduce still more political leadership retaliations on citizens and constituencies.

Georgetownisnowatest case. Will the PPP cash squeezescontinue? Willthe circumventingofmayorand council intensify? Will there be a city of two governing apparatuses, one with money doing its own thing (which is not working), and the other without funds, unable to do anything? And, will the residents of Georgetown (and other still standing PNC strongholds)belashed by PPP wrath for taking its money, for walkingbackon promises,fornotlistening?

I call from now what is feared. Though LGE was smooth,thereisunreadiness to project that the national electionswillbeofthesame tone and temperature. Too muchinvolved,toomuchto lose,toomuchpossible. Itis worthafight,ifonlytobeat the table of decisionmaking.Second,afterallthe PPP leadership has proudly pointed to-multiethnic composition, spending record, and cross-sectional appeal-andwithonlycreep and crawl resulting, then I assert that rebuffing occurred Some soul searching is vital for the PPP: more money or more inequity;whilethePNChas momentum,andwhatissure to inspire its agitated and restlessbase.

Checkout the PNC. It was limited to its own strongholds, limited by funds, and limited by its lesser presence in nontraditional voting areas, butmanaged. Thisiskeyto hopes of electoral progress that may lurk for the PNC come 2025. There are swelling numbers of noncustomaryPNCvoters,who take serious objection to manyofPPPpractices. Sow seeds now; build on LGE results. Guyanesevotersare unhappy

Now brace for some closing kicks. With few exceptions,Guyanesevoters stuck to their own: Indians for PPP, Africans for PNC. This looks bleak for the 2025 election climate Worse still, it houses all the poisons that are killing us slowly, contributing to the continuing impoverishment of the richest people in the world. Despite all the cash spent by the PPP, despite reduced PNC efforts, the blueprint for 2025 is now apparent: the PPP has w a s t e d t i m e a n d opportunity ThePNChasa chance.

(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and beliefs of this n e w s p a p e r a n d i t s affiliates.)