Citizens show disinterest as turnout estimated below 50%…Near empty polling stations tell story of Local Government Elections
The turnout at varying constituencies on the Essequibo Coast was reportedly low on Friday as Guyana conducted Local Government Elections 21 years later.
Voting at Annandale, Essequibo
Throughout all of the Polling Stations, there was a registered low turnout.
In areas such as Dartmouth, Richmond Village, Anna Regina, persons were seen visiting Polling Stations by the twos and threes while in other areas, the number was less. In Windsor Castle, however there was reportedly a reasonable turn out.
Gaston Boston, a rural Sergeant of Dartmouth Village said that this is the second Local Government Elections in which he is participating. He deemed the process as a normal one. Boston noted that in his area persons visited the Polling Stations in Dartmouth randomly.
Another villager, Venna Pitman, said that it was her second time voting at the Local Government Elections league. Pitman said that she was motivated to vote because in her community, there is a great need for employment among youths.
Pitman said there were also a huge number of children who are unable to attend school because of the financial situation that they are facing.
Meanwhile, residents in all of the hinterland communities including Capoey, Tapakuma and Mashabo didn’t vote since those communities which are primarily Amerindian dominant are already run by Village Councils and the Toshao.
Last Friday, President David Granger and a team visited the Essequibo Coast where he attempted to encourage his support base not to be complacent, but to vote.
Granger warned that the Local Government Elections were crucial and it was important that persons vote to elect their local electorates since it would have been another of his promise which he fulfilled just eleven months in office.
Guyana hosted its last Local Government Elections in 1994.
The Anna Regina Municipality is currently administered by an Interim Management Committee. That fraction of administration would however be dismantled once the Mayorship is restored after the LGE. (Yannason Duncan)