All engines go! PPP, APNU+AFC declare readiness for Nomination Day

With just hours remaining before political parties and independent contestants are required to submit their Lists of Candidates/Names for the Local Government elections, Guyana’s two domination political factions have both signaled their readiness

Alliance For Change (AFC) General Secretary David Patterson and A Partnership For National Unity’s (APNU’s) Amna Ally have both spoken to the readiness of the coalition for LGE.

“We will be presenting lists for all the local authority areas throughout the country tomorrow,” said Ally.

Patterson in an invited comment told Demerara Waves that the APNU+AFC will be contesting all 71 Local Authorities.

He explained that the coalition has approximately 583 contestants for the local polls.

“Its somewhere around 583, I cant remember the exact figure,” Patterson stated.

Asked what was the campaigning budget like for the elections; he stated that most of the financing is done within the districts and he does not have that figure.

Meanwhile, the People’s Progressive Party in a press statement noted that it will not be contesting one Local Authority Area, that is, Mocha Arcadia.

PPP said that the promotion of fear and divisiveness by the APNU+AFC administration has led to persons from the area being reluctant to represent the PPP at the elections.

“The Party wishes to make it known that notwithstanding the pernicious attempts by the APNU+AFC through the Ministry of Social Bribery and Incoherence’s distribution of boots, boats and bicycles in communities with a political preference and objective in mind, it has failed to make any impact and on the PPP’s ability to garner candidates and backers in the five hundred and eighty (580) Constituencies and nine (9) Municipalities save for the Local Authority Area (LAA) of Mocha/Arcadia where following the promotion of a fear and divisive campaign mounted by the APNU+AFC, the PPP/C regrettably, was unable to field a Candidate,” the release stated.

The Party said it has managed to strike a 50/50 balance with the civic component with just about half of its candidates being members of civil society.

“The Party is pleased to announce that it has struck the 50-50 balance between PPP and Civic candidates who will be contesting seventy (70) of the seventy-one (71) Neighbourhood Democratic Councils.”

Meanwhile Deputy Chief Elections Officer (DCEO) Vishnu Persaud affirmed that the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) was ready for Nomination Day.

He said that “everything is in place” and he is currently conducting last minute checks at the Office of the Returning Officers across the 71 Local Authority Areas.

Persaud said urged that candidates and political Parties ensure that “their lists meet the requirements” when they are submitted.

In Georgetown, the Lists of Candidates are being submitted at Waterloo Street and a total of 110 contestants are expected for all the Local Authority Areas.