Dear Editor,
475,496 registered to vote in 2011. 346,717 or 72.9% showed up to vote. In 2006, it was 341,426 who showed up to vote. This is a serious trend that must be closely analyzed for the future of this country. This ailment is now becoming a full-blown disease. In the past five years, we have had turn-outs in two elections of just under 69% and 72.9% respectively. What makes this number really troubling is that campaign spending has never been as high as in 2006 and 2011. The campaign spending in 2011, some of which by the PPP needs to be investigated and an area that definitely needs reform, is the highest on record, yet only 5291 more voters showed up in 2011. This suggests there is a major underlying disconnect between voters and the political parties. Hopefully, minority governance if done skilfully can restore some belief in the political system.
From a purely statistical standpoint, the AFC is the only party that historically continues to increase its support. I know the APNU/PNC increased its tally from 2006 but it is still historically below its highs of elections predating 2006. In a racialized voting environment amidst significant voter apathy, the AFC’s small but telling gain is a good sign that bodes well for change in Guyana, only if consequential constitutional change occurs which limits the presidency, powers of government and increases the power of Parliament. If minority government works, the AFC will benefit immensely and will likely appeal to those apathetic voters who have stopped voting to get off the sidelines into the game. The APNU/PNC and the PPP face declining returns. In fact, the PPP has now been in three elections where as the incumbent and despite having tremendous resources at its disposal, its vote count support has steadily slipped.
The PPP went from 220,667 votes in 1997 to 166,340 in 2011, a massive decline over the past 14 years that mirrors Guyana’s decline into a den of corruption, crime and inequality. On the other hand, while the APNU/PNC improved from 114,608 in 2006 to 139,678 in 2011, these results are not an indication of massive improvement of its political fortunes. After all, the PNC got 161,901 in 1997 and 165,866 in 2001.
Some may argue that this phenomenon along with the AFC’s small but steady increase from 2006 to 2011 is an indication that race voting is slowly diminishing. While that argument is plausible, the worrying concern is that the 72.9% who voted in 2011 seemingly still voted race for the most part.
Africans left the AFC and returned overwhelmingly to the APNU/PNC while Indians and Amerindians gave us minority governance by increasingly supporting the AFC. The AFC gained 6967 votes from 2006 and as stated, this is the only party that has trended higher based on historical trends.
I believe that if minority governance succeeds, an AFC party with new vibrant leaders without any baggage like the PNC or PPP will accumulate more votes at a faster rate in the future. APNU has an incredible opportunity to reform itself, remove old baggage and present new leadership to make it more palatable to voters who may like their work during minority governance.
The continuing problem is that voter apathy persists in dominating elections in Guyana. 2006 no longer looks like an aberration. It looks like the standard now. The PPP’s steady decline is the only statistical constant in this election. It is a sign of the failed politics of its governance. It now has a chance to govern differently.
Yours faithfully,
M Maxwell
