Mervin Lawrence feels that the November 28 polls are important for the future of Guyana and that young people need to realize this. “The elections are very important because Guyana needs a change and young people should be very active in the change. What happens now will affect us in the future,” he said.
At 20, Lawrence is a first-time voter. Of the eligible voters for the November 28 polls, 46 per cent are in the 18 to 35 age range. Of this 46 per cent approximately 18 per cent (38,840) are individuals who are now eligible to vote for the first time. Significantly, these first time voters would only have recollection of a PPP/C led government.
The politicians are not unaware of the importance of young people in these elections and they are consistently pitching to young people on the campaign trail. President Bharrat Jagdeo has repeatedly called on the older generation to remind the younger ones of the past.
A University of Guyana student, Lawrence said that he attended the recent forum held on campus where all four presidential candidates outlined their plans for Guyana. He said two parties – the APNU and the AFC – stood out. He admires the fact that parties in the APNU have put aside differences to come together to work for the betterment of Guyana. “This is something we really need in Guyana,” Lawrence said. He said he was particularly impressed by Ramjattan’s presentation, saying that the party seemed very focused. “He [Ramjattan] is very intelligent and seems to think before he acts,” he said.
A resident of Timehri, Lawrence said that the provision of jobs and improvements in the education system are the two issues that matter to him.
“Yes, because I see the need for change in the nation and it is my first experience and I am taking that up,” Abigail Welch told Stabroek News when asked if she will be voting. Welch, 18, has been paying keen attention to the elections campaign since she believes that the way a party runs its campaign is indicative of how it would run the country. According to her, the PPP/C has a well-organised campaign but she feels the party is at an advantage because it has access to more resources. The PPP/C’s campaign, she says, seems to be based more on entertainment, while the other major parties seem to be more focused on issues. She was critical of President Bharrat Jagdeo’s behaviour during the campaign rallies saying that he has not been setting a good example to young people by “cussing” people and dancing with different women on stage. “You wouldn’t find President Obama doing that at all,” she said.
Still undecided as to which party she will be voting for, Welch would like a new government to focus on improving the education system and on implementing better economic policies. She would also like to see moral leaders since she believes that young people need good role models.
The education system, she says, needs to be fixed. “Our education system needs help. We don’t have qualified teachers,” she said. She also said that teachers need to be paid better salaries. She believes too that education should be free from nursery to tertiary.
Regarding economic policies, Welch told Stabroek News that while the country has experienced some economic growth, the welfare of the people is generally low. “A lot of people can’t afford basic needs,” she said. Welch, an aspiring economist, said that a slight reduction in the Value Added Tax (VAT) would help poor people. She also said that income tax threshold needs to be re-examined.
After much internal conflict over whether to vote or not, Essequibo resident Eshwardai Bhagwandin says she will be casting her ballot at the upcoming elections. She is still undecided on which party she will be supporting though. She has not been following the campaign closely but says she will support which party presents the best policies to improve life in Guyana.
Currently a student at the UG Turkeyen campus, the 20-year-old said that the biggest issue for her is the creation of well paying jobs. She would also like a university campus be constructed in Essequibo just as there is one in Berbice.
Meanwhile, Lindener Cara Charles has already decided which party she will casting her ballot for. She is particularly concerned about the economic development of her town noting that job creation and equitable sharing of resources are two areas that she would like to see the next government address. She also expressed concern about the absence of local government elections and the fact that Linden has been without a Mayor for several years now.
