The Coil: 202,694 Guyanese voters
by Vidyaratha Kissoon
The woman pulled me aside after mandir and said “I hope you will continue to be as strong in your protest”. She had voted for Ramotar . I told her that if there are issues to protest about I hope to continue doing so. I also said if she had any she should do so and I will join her. I asked her about whether it was possible for standing up for rights without standing up for bheri. She repeated “I hope to see you protesting as much in the future”
The 202,694 Guyanese voters who voted for PPP/C might have to learn from Godfrey Bess from Vreed En Hoop. He is one of the first protestors since the elections. While other citizens have been claiming land and marking their spots, Mr Bess has a grievance which is about conflicts with central, regional and local government administration and not about political parties.
Another man told me “I feel sorry bad. I aint know wha’ gun happen. I give Ramotar me vote”
He was coming to terms with work and life. He had forgotten the anil thing, and bheri was not an issue for him. I shouted at him because I know him well. I asked if he believed that bheri should hold public office.
Another young man who voted for the first time said he voted for the PPP because they would make the best government. He did not agree with what bheri and anil said and did not see that voting for the PPP would mean voting for bheri and anil.
This confusion in the young man is probably the result of the contradiction where PPP/C candidates condemn the behaviour and decisions of their comrades on the list while campaigning and asking people to vote them into public office.
A woman who might have been voter number 202,695 but decided not to vote asked ‘I wonder what will happen to the CN Sharma case now’?
The justice system in Guyana takes years to resolve some High Court matters.
In 2011, there were 166,340 votes for the PPP/C. In 2015, 36,354 more Guyanese felt that it was okay to vote for a PPP/C list of candidates which included men who have contempt for women and for a President who could justify the actions of his men.
The new President Granger said that the victory of his party should be seen as a victory for all Guyanese. This “all Guyanese” includes 202,694 Guyanese who supported the campaign which included a man who was not fired from the party for wanting to slap and strip a woman.
Some of the 202,694 Guyanese might have believed that it was possible to vote for PPP/C while ‘not agreeing’ with what bheri and/or anil did. This shows how uncertain many voters are about the electoral system. The 202,694 Guyanese includes many persons who felt that bheri was better than any “PNC” led Government.
There are different people who have different interests in Guyana. The new administration has been processing donations from friends of the former administration. There are those who know how to play the political game. One PPP/C supporter who seemed uncertain of how he would vote had messaged me about his interest in ‘manipulation’ rather than public activism. Others are not as concerned about ministers and party candidates who want to slap and strip women.
What is the nature of the reconciliation with citizens who do not understand the nature of justice and human rights? What is the nature of the reconciliation with citizens who want a man in office who wants to assault women? Who is going to be responsible to see that this reconciliation will happen?
Where does the reconciliation begin? Which of the new ministers will be responsible for showing the 202,694 Guyanese that they did not have to vote for a man who wants to slap and strip women ? Who will be responsible for educating the voters that you cannot condemn violence while voting for those who are violent?
The woman pulled me aside after mandir and said “I hope you will continue to be as strong in your protest”. She had voted for Ramotar . I told her that if there are issues to protest about I hope to continue doing so. I also said if she had any she should do so and I will join her. I asked her about whether it was possible for standing up for rights without standing up for bheri. She repeated “I hope to see you protesting as much in the future”
The 202,694 Guyanese voters who voted for PPP/C might have to learn from Godfrey Bess from Vreed En Hoop. He is one of the first protestors since the elections. While other citizens have been claiming land and marking their spots, Mr Bess has a grievance which is about conflicts with central, regional and local government administration and not about political parties.
Another man told me “I feel sorry bad. I aint know wha’ gun happen. I give Ramotar me vote”
He was coming to terms with work and life. He had forgotten the anil thing, and bheri was not an issue for him. I shouted at him because I know him well. I asked if he believed that bheri should hold public office.
Another young man who voted for the first time said he voted for the PPP because they would make the best government. He did not agree with what bheri and anil said and did not see that voting for the PPP would mean voting for bheri and anil.
This confusion in the young man is probably the result of the contradiction where PPP/C candidates condemn the behaviour and decisions of their comrades on the list while campaigning and asking people to vote them into public office.
A woman who might have been voter number 202,695 but decided not to vote asked ‘I wonder what will happen to the CN Sharma case now’?
The justice system in Guyana takes years to resolve some High Court matters.
In 2011, there were 166,340 votes for the PPP/C. In 2015, 36,354 more Guyanese felt that it was okay to vote for a PPP/C list of candidates which included men who have contempt for women and for a President who could justify the actions of his men.
The new President Granger said that the victory of his party should be seen as a victory for all Guyanese. This “all Guyanese” includes 202,694 Guyanese who supported the campaign which included a man who was not fired from the party for wanting to slap and strip a woman.
Some of the 202,694 Guyanese might have believed that it was possible to vote for PPP/C while ‘not agreeing’ with what bheri and/or anil did. This shows how uncertain many voters are about the electoral system. The 202,694 Guyanese includes many persons who felt that bheri was better than any “PNC” led Government.
There are different people who have different interests in Guyana. The new administration has been processing donations from friends of the former administration. There are those who know how to play the political game. One PPP/C supporter who seemed uncertain of how he would vote had messaged me about his interest in ‘manipulation’ rather than public activism. Others are not as concerned about ministers and party candidates who want to slap and strip women.
What is the nature of the reconciliation with citizens who do not understand the nature of justice and human rights? What is the nature of the reconciliation with citizens who want a man in office who wants to assault women? Who is going to be responsible to see that this reconciliation will happen?
Where does the reconciliation begin? Which of the new ministers will be responsible for showing the 202,694 Guyanese that they did not have to vote for a man who wants to slap and strip women ? Who will be responsible for educating the voters that you cannot condemn violence while voting for those who are violent?
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