Outgoing US Ambassador to Guyana, Perry Holloway, believes that despite the low voter turnout at Guyana’s 2018 Local Government Elections, democracy came away as the big winner.

Monday’s local government elections marked the second such elections in three years after an absence of over two decades.

Speaking at his farewell ceremony on Friday night, Ambassador Holloway said “No matter what you say about the turnout, I would say democracy was the big winner because people did get a chance to vote. I hope this continues”.

The Guyana Elections Commission reported on Friday that the turnout at the Local Government Elections was 38%, which represents an almost 10% decrease in the turnout for the previous local government elections in 2016.

Political watchers believe that voter apathy was responsible for the low turn out.

The Guyana Elections Commission has said that it believes there might be the need for an all year around education campaign on the local government system to ensure people truly understand the system.

The US has been very supportive of Guyana ensuring the return of local elections.  Local government elections were held just once under the PPP Civic’s 23 years in Government and that was way back in 1994.

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