Ali, the Guyanan president, seeks a second term amid a oil boom

Guyanese will vote in general elections on Monday. They'll decide if President Irfaan Ali's People's Progressive Party, which controls the country's government, can keep its parliamentary majority. It's also a chance to determine if they want to continue leading one of the fastest-growing economies in the world. ExxonMobil's offshore discoveries have helped the South American nation, which is home to 800,000 people and has experienced double-digit growth in its economy for five straight years.

Five parties that are challenging the PPP in the race for parliamentary positions say that the government's spending on infrastructure is not enough to reduce high costs and improve quality of life.

It is expected that the PPP will win the majority of seats, despite its narrow victory in the 2020 elections. This is due to the strong support it has among Indo-Guyanese, Guyana's biggest ethnic group, as well as the dissolution of the coalition which once deposed the PPP.

Even a slight drop in seats can force a party to look for opposition support in order to pass legislation.

Ali, the Minister of Housing, has denied that PPP supporters benefited from the government's housing program and annual wage increases.

Chandradatt Jagdeo (24), a medical student, said that President Ali had delivered on his promises in the areas of healthcare, infrastructure and, most importantly, empowerment of youth. She was referring to a decision by the government to eliminate tuition at state-run institutions such as the University of Guyana. The government's gas-to-power initiative, which was supposed to be finished last year and reduce power bills and blackouts, has now been delayed until mid-2026.

Three opposition parties have pledged to demand a higher share of the earnings from Exxon's contract.

A Partnership for National Unity and Alliance for Change both signed the agreement in 2016, while they were in government. They rejected any calls for renegotiation, but then changed their stance once out of office.

Exxon has said it won't reopen the deal. Ali's government claims it will keep it.

Maxine Aaron, 66-year-old retired veterinarian and APNU supporter, said: "I think the APNU has a very good policy in terms of reducing poverty for all people, not just a small group of people." She added that education is important for youth.

WILDCARD

Both the APNU (formerly in coalition with AFC) and AFC (formerly in coalition with the APNU), who are now running separately, have pledged to funnel more oil wealth into low-income areas.

Azruddin Mohammed, a popular businessman and former PPP contributor, could also be a wildcard. Mohamed and his father Nazar Mohamed were sanctioned last year by the U.S. over allegations that they had defrauded Guyana of tax revenue and corrupted public officials. In 2023, it was reported that U.S. officials believe the family uses its gold-mining routes to smuggle cocaine from Colombia and illegal gold from Venezuela.

The Mohameds deny all wrongdoing and call the accusations defamatory.

In June, the younger Mohamed founded his We Invest in Nationhood Party. He has gained popularity in Indigenous and poor communities.

Candidates are also being run by two new parties, formed by former APNU members. Guyana's election in 2020 was marred for five months by a dispute over the vote-counting, which ended when Ali was declared winner. The elections commission said that it was working hard to get results this time by Wednesday. (Reporting and editing by Julia Symmes Cobb, Rod Nickel, Kemol King)

(source: Reuters)