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Jamaica, Guyana vote: Ruling parties retain power

TWO Caribbean nations went to the polls in September, both returning their incumbents to power but under different circumstances. Jamaica chose continuity with low voter turnout, while Guyana’s booming oil economy and border tensions with Venezuela turned its election into one of international interest. UWI political analyst Dr Bishnu Ragoonath believed the people's choices would allow for continued development of both countries as the various government could continue with their current policies. He also did not believe the border issues affected the outcome of the election as the problem had been there for a while and could continue for some time. He said, “The PPP/C (People's Progressive Party/Civic) in Guyana and the JLP (Jamaica Labour Party) have won the elections as far as I am concerned and it’s allowing for continuity in the policies that both countries would have started in the last five years. We expect that continuity would hopefully result in the betterment and development of both countries.” Jamaica Prime Minister Andrew Holness and the JLP secured a third consecutive term in its September 3 election, holding off the opposition People’s National Party (PNP). The campaigns revolved around tax cuts and cost-of-living concerns by the JLP while the PNP spoke to allegations of government corruption and procurement controversies. In his victory speech the JLP’s Belmont Road, Kingston headquarters Holness said, “For me it was also a personal challenge. After all the attacks, the lies, the rumours, the innuendos, I am still solid as a rock. They just can’t stop me now.” The JLP captured 34 of 63 seats while the PNP and its leader, Mark Golding, won 29, increasing the opposition’s reach by 15 seats, but the turnout was under 40 per cent from an electorate of just over two million. Political analysts saw the result as a victory for policy stability but also a warning sign of political apathy in a country still working on crime, inequality and economic strain. He also stressed the importance of the democracy of Jamaica saying, "I am satisfied that our democracy is strong, but I wish to assure all Jamaicans who participated in the elections, or who did not participate in the election, that my government will continue to be respectful of, uphold and advance democratic institutions and protect the democracy of this country.” Meanwhile, in Guyana, the PPP/C of President Irfaan Ali held on to power, even as there were recount disputes and, as of September 6, official final results were not yet published. The recounts were completed on September 5 but the Guyana Elections Commission was expected to meet on September 6 to certify the results. Speaking with a media outlet (The UK Guardian) on September 3, Ali said, “The results are all out there, as published by the Guyana Elections Commission. The numbers are clear. The people have spoken in an overwhelming way. We have won these elections with a remarkable margin.” In its September 1 election, the PPP/C won eight of the ten regions, while the We Invest in Nationhood (WIN), a party founded just three months ago, won two regions which were previously strongholds of the previous opposition, A Partnership for National Unity (APNU). [caption id="attachment_1176582" align="alignnone" width="1024"] President Irfaan Ali arrives to vote during general elections in Leonora, Guyana, on September 1. - AP PHOTO[/caption] Ragoonath said, “I expect that, based on what we’ve heard from Mr Norton (the leader of the APNU Aubrey Norton) and Mr Mohammed (Azruddin Mohamed, leader of WIN), that there may be some legal challenges to the outcome of the election. If they actually go that route, how long that will take to be settled, I don’t know.” Not only were the 65 parliamentary seats at stake but control over oil revenue as Guyana was one of the fastest-growing economies in the world. And unlike Jamaica, voter participation was high at over 60 per cent of approximately 758,000 registered voters, reflecting the high stakes of the election. All this against the backdrop of escalating border tensions with Venezuela, especially since ExxonMobil and other multi-national organisations began large-scale oil production in 2019. In December 2020, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled Guyana had jurisdiction over the oil-rich Essequibo region and ordered Venezuela to “refrain from taking any action which would modify the situation that currently prevails in the territory in dispute” in January 2023. But Venezuela refused to recognise the Court’s authority. The US openly aligned itself with Guyana both politically and militarily, warning Venezuela against moves against the Caribbean country as well as increasing naval patrols, military cooperation and intelligence sharing with Guyana. On the other hand, Venezuela saw the actions of the US as interference and accused it of militarising the dispute. Analysts believe the action showed the US wanted to secure access to Guyana’s oil while containing Venezuela’s influence in the region. That was highlighted by the statement of US Secretary of State Marco Rubio when he visited Guyana in March 2025. He said, “It would be a very bad say for the Venezuelan regime if they were to attack Guyana or attack ExxonMobil or anything like it.” Previously, Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar expressed her support for Guyana saying, “Should Venezuela move against Guyana, it is then that we will offer any space here to protect our Caricom neighbour, brothers and sisters.” The day before the Guyana election, its police and defence force said a boat carrying election officials and ballot boxes to remote polling stations in Region Seven, was shot at while sailing along Upper Cuyuni river near the Guyana-Venezuela border in the highly-disputed region. It claimed the gunshots came from the Venezuelan shore and there were no injuries or damages. Venezuela denied being behind the incident. On September 2, US President Donald Trump announced his military forces destroyed a boat allegedly carrying drugs, killing 11 people who he described as "narco-terrorists". He said it left Venezuela, was bound for the US and was operated by the Tren de Aragua cartel. But a Venezuelan media outlet reported the boat was bound for Trinidad and Tobago, While Venezuelan Minister of Communication and Information Freddy Ñáñez described the video of the strike released by the US as fake. Persad-Bissessar praised the US strike saying, “The slaughter of our people is fuelled by evil cartel traffickers. The pain and suffering the cartels have inflicted on our nation is immense. I have no sympathy for traffickers, the US military should kill them all violently.” In a statement on September 6, Persad-Bissessar also extended congratulations to Ali and commend all political parties and the people for the responsible manner in which they participated in the electoral process. “The relationship between Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana is rooted in history and shaped by a shared destiny, grounded in ties of family, commerce, culture and enduring friendship. At a time when Guyana has faced renewed threats to its territorial integrity, the bonds between our nations assume even greater significance. “Indeed, these challenges remind us that sovereignty, democracy and peace cannot be taken for granted, and that as Caribbean people we must remain united and vigilant in their defence.” She said Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana worked together in advancing regional food and energy security, expanding trade, and deepening integration and assured corporation and partnership would continue and be strengthened. While the situations surrounding the elections in Guyana and Jamaica were markedly different, the results showed the strength of the Caribbean’s democracy, even as they were shaped by the global environment.   The post Jamaica, Guyana vote: Ruling parties retain power appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.