Despite trumpeting its “massive victory” in Friday’s local government elections, the PPP/C suffered a stunning defeat in Georgetown that raises questions about the party’s strategy and leadership in the most important municipality.
The PPP/C only won two seats in the main prize, Georgetown, down from eight seats in 1994. The APNU+AFC coalition won 25 of the 30 seats that make up the Georgetown City Council while Team Legacy won two seats and Benschop for Mayor won one seat. It means that while holding 32 seats in parliament, the PPP/C’s influence on the council is now equivalent to that of Team Legacy which contested the polls for the first time. The poor showing in Georgetown will also be seen as a verdict on the former PPP/C’s handling of the capital city between 1992 and 2015.