Political parties target key Amerindian vote ahead of elections

Last Updated on Monday, 18 August 2025, 18:16 by Writer

The incumbent People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPPC) on Sunday unabashedly went after Amerindian votes for Guyana’s general and regional elections slated for September 1, 2025.

Wary that We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) political party could eat into its Amerindian support base and cause his PPP to lose its parliamentary majority in the 65-seat National Assembly, party General Secretary Bharrat Jagdeo touted his political organisation as “the biggest Amerindian party.” “When we say we’re the biggest Amerindian party, we don’t mean only in terms of votes. We mean in terms of membership of the people’s Progressive Party,” he said, referring to Amerindians having been elected to the PPP’s Central Committee.

He said at last year’s internal party congress, 30 percent or one-third of the delegates were Amerindians, with the “biggest” delegation from Region Nine (Upper Demerara-Upper Takatu).

Referring to WIN, whose leader was sanctioned by the United States (U.S.) for alleged tax evasion on gold exports from Guyana, Mr Jagdeo rallied supporters against what he said was a plot to target Amerindian voters and prevent the PPP from getting at least 51 percent of the popular vote to secure not only the presidency but a simple majority in the National Assembly.

“They’re working with APNU, AFC (A Partnership for National Unity, Alliance For Change) with a distant hope that they could bring us down, and they would somehow get a new AFC back because if they, if they cut into our support in the Amerindian communities, then that may happen. It’s not going to happen. When they see this crowd here tonight, they’re going to faint in,” Mr Jagdeo said.

The WIN has been attracting fairly large numbers of persons at their community meetings in Amerindian communities. Speaking at a weekend rally in Moruca, North West District, WIN leader Azruddin Mohamed claimed that his party would win 55 percent of the votes in that Amerindian community. “We know that we will win Moruca. We will win Moruca,” he said. Targeting Amerindians, he promised to improve roads, water, health care, award contracts transparently, establish a development bank to provide interest-free loans, 25 percent of funding from the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS), better housing, manufacturing hubs for farmers to “make millions,” and amendment to the Amerindian Act. “We will revise the Amerindian Act so that you our Indigenous people, our First People must get change in this country,” he said. He also promised no new taxes, reduced value added tax from 14 percent to 10 percent, 0 percent taxes on all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) and a slash in income tax from 25 percent to 20 percent.

The PPP has been holding large rallies in Amerindian communities.

The PPP is banking on its track record of delivering a broad spectrum of benefits to the Amerindian communities. These include 4,000 scholarships, training of 2,000 teachers, recruitment of Amerindians as police and soldiers, billions of dollars from the LCDS and Amerindian Development Fund, construction of new schools and rehabilitation of others, and the employment of 5,000 community service officers and part-time workers.

Mr Jagdeo reeled out a series of plans for Amerindian communities. Among them are the construction of new hospitals in Kato, Kamarang, Moruca and Lethem, grants for income-generating small business and projects, grants for construction of new and rehabilitation of existing houses, scholarships for academic, and technical and vocational studies, factory shells for food processing, and the supply of agricultural equipment and supply.

The main opposition People’s National Congress Reform-led APNU says if it wins the upcoming polls, the livelihoods of Amerindian communities will improve. That party’s plans include child allowance for Indigenous families, a multibillion dollar water management scheme in Region Nine for flood control and irrigation, increase grants to communities, approved community development initiatives by “every major” forestry and mining company, 50 percent of carbon credit funds, rent-to-own housing, coast-to-hinterland highways, upgrade and lengthen hinterland airstrips, reintroduce Guyana Airways Corporation, increase the number of community development officers and significantly increase the stipends for Toshaos and regional local and village councillors.

APNU presidential candidate, Aubrey Norton remarked at the launch of his party’s manifesto that, “our proposals recognize the need to protect, respect and guarantee indigenous rights at all times.”