“The Indigenous Village elections of 2024 must be the most manipulated and tampered of all such elections in the history of Guyana.” This is according to the A Partnership of National Unity and Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC). In a statement the Opposition said the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) government’s attempt to control the Indigenous Villages elections was rejected.
The Opposition reported that “in almost every Village, the PPP identified, supported, financed, and campaigned openly for a highly favoured PPP candidate for the office of Toshao.”
And according to the coalition, the PPP/C ventured as far as manipulating the qualifying conditions for participating in the electoral process when their preferred candidate faced formidable challenges. “Persons who were nominated had their names removed from the list of nominees in some cases, while in one unprecedented case, the entire process was cancelled.”
Addressing the issue of nomination, APNU+AFC said the processes of nomination and election were both conducted on the same day, denying candidates the right to publish their plans. But “even in the face of this brazen assault on democracy the PPP preferred candidate lost.”
The Opposition’s full statement follows:
INDIGENOUS VILLAGES REJECT PPP PREFERRED CANDIDATES – ALI ON A DESPERATE APPEAL MISSION
The Indigenous Village elections are nearing completion. The evidence is clear for all to see. The PPP’s relentless effort to interfere with, manipulate, and dominate the process, stacking Villages with their chosen Toshaos has been rejected. The vast majority of residents of Indigenous Villages have opted instead, to stake an indomitable claim to self-determination, a right for which the PPP has little or no regard.
In almost every Village, the PPP identified, supported, financed, and campaigned openly for a highly favoured PPP candidate for the office of Toshao. The PPP ventured as far as manipulating the qualifying conditions for participating in the electoral process when their preferred candidate faced formidable challenges. Even the nomination process was manipulated. Persons who were nominated had their names removed from the list of nominees in some cases, while in one unprecedented case, the entire process was cancelled. In that case, the processes of nomination and election were both conducted on the same day, denying candidates the right to publish their plans. Even in the face of this brazen assault on democracy the PPP preferred candidate lost.
The Indigenous Village elections of 2024 must be the most manipulated and tampered of all such elections in the history of Guyana. In spite of this, however, the will of the Indigenous peoples and their spirit of perseverance prevailed. Many Indigenous folks have attributed the proud exercise of confidence in the conduct of their business of governance to the visits to their Villages, conversations with leaders of the APNU, and advocacy on their behalf by the APNU.
This resounding rejection by the Indigenous peoples has put the Jagdeo/Ali administration in panic mode. Irfaan Ali has mounted a taxpayer’s funded campaign as a countermeasure. President Ali yesterday rushed into the Barima/Waini Region with a scheduled seven communities visit over two days. The communities identified to be visited are among those that slipped away from the domination and control of the PPP. The failure of the PPP Regional Chairperson to deliver has placed that Chairperson in hot water. President Ali sees this as a job for the presidency and is busy sharing out money without a plan while on his visits. Meanwhile, the flood hit Villages of the Rupununi that are crying out for support have been abandoned.
The Opposition APNU+AFC pledges its continued support for Guyana’s Indigenous peoples, and indeed, all citizens of Guyana, as we continue to work towards taking government and ensuring a prosperous Guyana for all Guyanese.
