What might be the last two of a plethora of general elections held in the Caribbean Community (Caricom) this year occurred in the past week, with both the Guyana’s and Jamaica’s governments easily retaining incumbencies.
Campaigning with strong evidence of healthy cash flows, both the administrations of Guyanese President Irfaan Ali, 45, and Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness, 53, will govern their respective countries for the next five years while their rival opposition parties struggle to rebuild.
Guyana results
In the case of oil- and gas-rich Guyana, the main opposition, A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), suffered a devastating defeat, dropping from more than 30 of the 65 seats in the last parliament to a mere 12 and now being replaced by We Invest in Nationhood (WIN), a political outfit that was formed a mere three months ago. In its very first attempt, WIN, led by U.S.-sanctioned businessman Azruddin Mohamed, 38, picked up 16 seats and has now replaced the APNU as the party that represents Guyanese of African descent in the country. This is the first time that the APNU/PNC coalition will not be either in government or functioning as the main opposition party in Parliament — such was the humiliation at the September 1 polls. Jamaica’s election was held two days later.
Ironically, an APNU-led coalition had actually won the 2015 elections and had run the country until it lost in 2020 to the Indo-dominated governing People’s Progressive Party (PPP). How it will rebuild after losing such a large chunk of the electorate, including youth and first-time voters, remains a mystery. Party leaders say it will take a charismatic leader to bring back the flock, which has strayed to WIN and the PPP, for the next race in 2030. Its persistent challenges in raising campaign financing was a major contributor to its low profile on both social media and the national stage.
The electoral commission gave the PPP a majority of 36 seats, with a comfortable three-seat lead in the assembly. Ali was sworn in at a glittering ceremony on Sunday while U.S. fighter jets staged a flyover at the seaside event.
Ali pledged to be a leader of all Guyanese, an acknowledgment, critics say, of the racial sensitivities that have bedeviled this resource-rich nation for decades.
“I stand before you this day, both humbled and exalted by the solemn honor you have once more entrusted to me to serve as your president,” Ali said after being sworn in, signaling a continuation of people-centered governance. “I draw from you, the people, and my family, reminding me daily that leadership is not a pursuit of self but a covenant of service. It is not the benefit for a few, but for the upliftment of all. It is in that spirit that I have taken the oath of office.”
Jamaica retention
In the far north of the 15-nation Caricom bloc, Holness defied the predictions of pollsters, which had given the change of government nod to the main opposition People’s National Party (PNP) of white Jamaican attorney Mark Golding, 60.
Going into the contest with a mere 14 of the 63 seats from the 2020 elections, the PNP grew to 29 seats on this occasion, but these were not enough to unseat Holness and his Jamaica Labor Party (JLP).
In gaining the nod of the Jamaican electorate, Holness is now on track to create history by becoming the first JLP leader to win a true third term, joining retired PNP leader and prime minister P.J. Patterson as not only a third-term winner but one who had served 14 consecutive years.
“No weapon formed against me shall prosper,” Holness told supporters as it became clear that the JLP would win around 34 of the 63 parliamentary seats, including some areas that many thought were the preserve of the PNP.
“We must guard against arrogance. This government, in our third term, must be laser-focused on ensuring that there is prosperity for all Jamaicans,” Holness said. “This was not a victory by default. Make no mistake about it: This was not an easy victory. Make no mistake about it: This was a fight, but we did not descend from my political organization, we did not descend to the gutter to fight. We did not seek to trick the people to win. We did not seek to tear down anyone to lift up ourselves. We did not seek to tear down Jamaica in order to be able to administer the affairs of Jamaicans.”
A busy year
This year has been one of the busiest for nations in the bloc, with elections held in Trinidad, Suriname, Jamaica, Guyana, Bermuda, Anguilla, Curacao, the Cayman Islands, the Turks and Caicos, and Belize. Preparations are also underway for possible elections in St. Vincent this year and the Bahamas early in the new year.