Dear Editor,
Whatever scenario voting takes, there is one element of the voting process that remains constant: every vote counts. When voting is done at the national level all citizens (providing they are registered) have the right to cast their votes for the party of their choice.
Guyana is in full election mode as the country braces itself for what is shaping up to be an historic election. Sections of the opposition have already decided that for ideological reasons and other factors a unified opposition front which arguably is the best way of rescuing the nation will not happen. However, in whatever forms the opposition decides to contest the next general election, one thing is certain, they need to motivate young people to get out there on election day and vote for them.
Too many youths in Guyana are disillusioned. Many have absolutely no faith in the election process. Many believe the opposition has not done enough to command their respect in and out of parliament. Many of them are experiencing the disenchantment and suffering of holding university degrees and being unable to find proper jobs or work appropriate to their qualifications, and seeing the under-qualified and inexperienced being promoted above them for political or other reasons.
A large percentage of the young voting population will have seen the erosion of law and order for much of their life. The flinging of the dead Monica Reece out of a car on Main Street; the total disregard for a court order flung over the shoulder of a would-be President; the still unresolved phantom squad killings and the allegation that key government functionaries were associated with known drug lords, are just a few of the things these young people would have witnessed as they grew up in this supposedly new era of democracy.
If Guyanese live in a democracy where there is still one radio station, no freedom of information act, no meaningful copyright laws, the repeated abuse of the private media by the highest seat of government, shrouds of secrecy wrapped tightly around costly deals made with taxpayers’ money, the releasing of public information only on a need-to-know basis, and the targeting of anti-government opinion leaders with threats and insults, then I believe a change is needed.
That change can be made possible if young people wipe their eyes clear of disinterest and mistrust in the electoral process, get registered and go out on election day and vote for change. The youth need to show the political elite that the real power rests in their vote.
The opposition coalition forces need to reach out and touch those young minds desperately in need of change that might still not see the wisdom in voting. The opposition coalition must exhaust all means possible in ensuring that young people are registered and that they are energized to get out and vote to make that difference for Guyana.
Guyanese youth is more sophisticated now than in 1992 and 1997. Reaching them will require more than just the occasional community and bottom-house meetings. It will take more than the community rally. It will take more than the traditional media. The opposition leaders will need to engage in personal selling, alight from their sedentary positions and go and meet and repeatedly sensitize the youths to the virtues of the electoral process and convince them that their contributions by way of voting can result in much needed change.
With the advent of new media technology there can be virtual political meetings. Social networking sites like Twitter, Facebook and Youtube make it easier to reach out to young people. Blogs are also powerful tools.
The internet will be a decisive tool for this election campaign. Past experience has shown the traditional media landscape, especially the electronic media will be saturated with political ads for the party in government. Therefore the main opposition movement will have to show much dexterity in dealing with the dissemination of their campaign messages.
Whatever the means, the opposition coalition, when it is finalized, has its work cut out for a sustained campaign to get more young people involved in election 2011.
Yours faithfully,
Richard Francois
