Dear Editor,
Yes, there is a groundswell for change and rebirth in Guyana. Yes, we are outraged and disgusted by the arrogance, the corruption and lawlessness that pervade the current government. Yes, November 28 is indeed a watershed moment in our national politics and psyche. True, also, as the election campaign rolls on, the PPP/C remains desperately on its back foot.
We need not forget, however, that the PPP/C is a mass-based party, with a proven record of garnering a substantial number of votes. Ending the era of one-party (mis)rule in Guyana will not be a walk in the park or a foregone conclusion. A definite number of Guyanese have to ensure this outcome by voting (and voting tactically, in some cases) on November 28.
The simple fact is it would take another mass-based party to beat the PPP/C and thereby take the country into a new era of multi-party rule, characterized by equality, security and dignity for all. And, undoubtedly, the only party capable of achieving this is the APNU. The strong support at its public rallies is measurable testimony of its mass appeal across the country.
It will take over 240,000 of our votes behind a single party to bring an end to one-party rule in Guyana. The numbers suggest that some Guyanese will have to engage in tactical or ‘smart‘ voting. Otherwise, the country will remain stuck in the past on square one.
Tactical voting is not new to Guyana. In the 1992 election, the evidence suggests that some Afro-Guyanese engaged in such voting by casting their votes for Cheddi Jagan’s PPP/C, as well as by staying home on Election Day. Collectively, these persons voted for change and as a form of protest against 28 years of PNC one-party dominance. Today, the national mood for change is similar, but the configuration is different. One big difference is that we have a guarantee from one party to form a true government of national unity.
The majority of Guyanese evidently are convinced that the country must not continue with PPP/C arrogance and one-party dominance. The rules of the game, however, mean that our conviction must be expressed in such a way to ensure victory for the party most likely to defeat the PPP/C.
That party is the APNU, as the only other mass-based party in Guyana. Swing, floating and undecided voters must vote tactically to achieve the rebirth the nation so craves.
Yours faithfully,
Sherwood Lowe
