on their plans for Guyana

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“Without public scrutiny by the people that are going to elect you, there is no way that they would know what you’re going to do… The constituents have to be able to know exactly what you’re going to do, should they vote for you.”GWR founder Dawn StewartThis is the assertion of Guyana Women Roundtable (GWR) founder, Dr. Dawn Stewart.In a recent interview with Kaieteur News, Dr. Stewart stressed that while it is important for persons to participate in the electoral process, it is necessary for them to understand the issues that are affecting them.Stewart, whose organisation (GWR) recently teamed with Guyana National Youth Council (GNYC) to organise issue forums with the ruling People’s Progressive Party/Civic(PPP/C), and APNU+AFC coalition, said that citizens should be able to question those contesting the upcoming General and Regional Elections on May 11, on their plans for Guyana, should they be elected to office.“They [the electorate] should be able to ask, why should I vote for you? Why should I support you?”She cautioned that issue forums are not about what has happened in the past, but are more concerned with how candidates contesting the election could convince the electorate to vote for them, based on their plans for the next four or five years, should they be elected to office.Dr. Stewart lamented that crime, teenage pregnancy, increased violence against women, health care and education have been identified as the five greatest concerns of the people of Guyana, and it is necessary for candidates to stay away from lengthy speeches on the past, and focus on current issues that are affecting the people, their community and their country.She explained that the exchange between citizens and candidates on how candidates intend to utilise their votes “is a very important tool in the democratic society in which we strive to build so therefore, it is undemocratic not to be able to come to the public and say to the public, and be questioned by the public, as to what you would do if they vote for you.”The issue forum organised by GWR in collaboration with GNYC proved to be a success for APNU+AFC candidates Brigadier (ret’d) David Granger and Catherine Hughes on April 13, last.Dr. Stewart said that as far as she knows, persons were quite satisfied with the answers that they got at that forum, and the professionalism with which it was done. The PPP/C, who were scheduled to make their appearance two days after (April 15), have since asked that their forum be postponed.While the two organising bodies await word from the PPP/C, with respect to a new available date for their issue forum, Stewart says that she remains optimistic that the party will follow through on its commitment as soon as it is available to do so.Following the issue forum, candidates are expected to sign a  pledge, which entails all of the promises they make towards bettering Guyana by addressing the main issues affecting citizens.