PPP is the most dominant party in the country and it has been this way for decades even during the period of dictatorship. It is the only party to win clear majorities in free and fair elections since universal suffrage. Also, Jagdeo and Irfaan are the only leaders to truly claim mass appeal almost throughout the country over the last five years. Anyone who does not acknowledge that fact is fooling themselves. Their and the party’s dominance put them in a strong position. PPP’s strong position cannot be reduced to Jagdeo popularity alone. It is true that under his watch, the PPP has strengthened its electoral operations, engineered broad-based social coalitions, and struck useful alliances. Irfaan has also worked the ground with cross over appeal. The party has several crossovers and leaders of small parties have endorsed Irfaan. All of this has improved its stature and popular support.
Money and organisation are critical two factors that influence outcome of elections. The PPP has both of on its side. The PPP has the best campaign organization for election which is won with an effective election day machinery. A party will have to be well-resourced to implement its plan in order to be victorious provided it has a chance of victory; the PPP has the most funds. The opposition APNU and the newly formed WIN lack the kind of organization of the PPP. And the small parties have no chance of a victory. Some will not even win a seat; their best bet is the joinder list, pooling their resources to get a seat or more or even to bury their ego and link up with one of the above parties.
As noted, elections are about money and organization. The better-funded and organised party has the advantage. The PPP has far more money than any other party; they are in a much better position financially and in terms of resources. Also, they are emboldened by the fact that they are the incumbent, accessing state resources. It uses its tenure in office, incumbency, to its advantage. A lot of favours are usually given out in order to persuade the voter. During an election campaign a lot of transactions go on. There may or may not be money, but a lot of favours are usually given out and promises made in order to persuade the voter. Many are not pleased with the government. But there isn’t very strong anti-incumbency. Further, the opposition is not attractive and is disarray. The opposition is adrift and enfeebled; the once-powerful opposition party appears to have exhausted much of its potential. Ant the other challengers are not very credible although one of them has been gaining traction, giving the PPP headaches.
The governing PPP has seen it fit to focus on its achievements and performance that it claims speaks for itself as the party encourages voters to re-elect it. The government is claiming that it has worked, performed, and delivered and that the electorate should re-elect it based on the record. The opposition, on the other hand, is finding and highlighting weaknesses of the ruling party.
PPP also has the best organisation on the ground. The party is considered to be a cadre-based party with volunteers and paid workers at all levels – from the street to the polling division. Its campaign is powered by an indefatigable network of workers, many of whom are foot soldiers who are clamorous on the streets and going house to house to convince people to vote for PPP. No other party has such machinery.
The party has also thrived on generous funding from businesses and the unwavering support of a wide swathe of media personnel. There is also an unbending focus on unity; either you are with the party or against, no middle ground is allowed.
From all indicators, a lot of work has been done over the years and is presently being done by the PPP on the ground where, on election day, that is what will matter most. Organisation has to do with bringing out the votes. For months, PPP workers, more than that of APNU and AFC activists, have been on the ground checking the voters’ list continually to make sure all the persons that they anticipate will vote for their party is registered and transferred to the new voting district if they moved recently. The volunteers and paid workers have been roaming around for months and update their list of prospective supporters. They know who migrated and who passed away or moved to another district. They make sure they change the address of the voter and register new ones. They also reach out to voters and address their basic needs as well as providing them hampers, house lots, etc. The expansion of welfare to pensioners, retirees, and low-income earners is another reason why PPP is so popular.
On election day, grassroots members are assigned a booth where they collect as much information as possible on voters and then try to persuade them to vote for their party. since the volunteers have already known the voters, they check in with these people – see if they have voted, if they are getting out to vote, etc. One or more activists is assigned a street to get out the vote. They even provide transportation. No other political party, including the PNC which dominated politics for 33 years, has this type of machinery and the type of large membership and tight organization as the PPP. The PPP is effectively engaging in micro-campaigning on a nationwide scale, and so gaining a significant advantage in mobilising voters.
In terms of getting out the voters on election day, every party has runners; youngsters in the community whose job it was to deliver messages who have not voted as yet to go to vote during the course of the day. The runners and everybody have to be on their Ps and Qs. I was a runner for PPP in the 1968 ad 1973 elections before leaving Guyana for tertiary education in USA where I continued my activism for democracy. Activists motivate voters, cautioning or warning them that if they don’t, the other race will win.
The focus of organisation is on the polling booth. The well-oiled PPP machinery is not second to any.
