Dear Editor,
Azruddin Mohamed 鈥 better known as AzMo 鈥 is running for the presidency. His campaign style should make for an interesting study by pol-sci students. Is it effective? Will it win him votes? AzMo travels to the villages and towns. Significant numbers of people come out to see him. The people vent on their issues (safe river transport, high food prices, high crime rates, lack of good paying jobs) 鈥 and AzMo listens. AzMo speaks very little. He often says, 鈥淭hings will change if you vote for me鈥.
President Irfaan Ali goes to the same towns and villages. People are often bus-ed in to give the appearance of large crowds. And, President Ali begins to lecture the people on the several building projects (hospitals, roads, bridges) he has completed or in the process of completion. Ali never mentions the lopsided PSA (Oil Contract) with Exxon, one that will see Guyana being cheated of over $100 billion on 11 billion barrels of oil. And, it is even much worse 鈥 Exxon pays no profits鈥 tax but GoG issues tax receipts stating $X paid. This is a unique condition of powerlessness of the State. Exxon has imposed this condition. President Ali seems helpless to do anything about it.
These are two very different styles of election campaigning. Retail vs Wholesale. In small village group settings, people in one-on-one conversations do most of the talking. People seem to feel empowered this way. Will this empowerment translate into votes for candidate AzMo?
One SN blogger makes mockery of AzMo calling him Ass-uddin. Another mocks him because as everyone knows AzMo 鈥 a first-time candidate for elective office 鈥 is unlikely to get a plurality of the votes. Guyana has a hybrid system. The ruling PPP is likely to get a plurality of the votes 鈥 and as per the Constitution 鈥 will get the presidency and form the govt. Now what happens if the PPP does not control the majority in parliament? Could the PPP buy-out members of the Opposition MPs to vote with them on every issue or Bill?
PPP won by one seat in the 2020 election. If AzMo gets 3- 4- 5 seats, he will be the monkey-wrench in the system, making it difficult for the PPP to run the government. These bloggers who practice the art of mockery of any opposing candidate do not understand the threat AzMo poses to the ruling PPP. This election also presents a lot of fresh material for pollsters and pol-sci students to study and analyze to understand the changing politics of Guyana. Stay tuned.
Mike Persaud