13 political parties to contest March 2 general elections

GEORGTOWN (CMC):

The Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) says 13 political parties, including the two main political entities here, had nominated candidates to contest the March 2 regional and general elections.

The parties, including the ruling coalition, A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and the main opposition People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), filed their nomination papers last Friday during a four-hour exercise at the Umana Yana, in the capital.

While the two main political parties are contesting the seats in the 65-member National Assembly, GECOM said that most of the other parties have fielded candidates for the regional administration councils.

Unlike most of the other Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries, Guyana does not use the first-past-the-post system, instead relying on proportional representation.

The political parties were required to submit three separate lists to contest both the general and regional elections, with the elections to the National Assembly being drawn from two lists, namely the National Top-Up list and the 10 Geographic Constituency lists.

A total of 40 parliamentary seats can be drawn from the National Top Up list and, following the elections, the total number of valid votes cast is divided into 40 and parties are allocated seats according to who has the greatest number of votes.

A total of 25 parliamentary seats can be drawn from the Geographic Constituency lists and the parties allocated seats according to who has the greatest number of votes.