Guyanese, Jamaicans voting solidly for Labour

GUYANESE AND JAMAIANS WILL VOTE SOLIDLY FOR LABOUR at Friday’s national elections to begin enjoying prosperity once again.

“I was never able to own my own home in Guyana, but working in this country under the Labour Government I was able to build my own house in 11 years. I am now able to rent a few of the rooms to cover my mortgage,” a Guyanese living in St Kitts and Nevis disclosed.

He is forever thankful to the Labour administration which was in power continuously from 1995 to 2015, because, despite taking a while to secure employment, he was able to demonstrate his competence, thus benefiting from increased economic opportunities.

But under the three-party coalition Team Unity headed by Prime Minister, Dr Timothy Harris, the fortunes of non-nationals went south steadily under that government’s seven-year rule, he observed.

“Why I enjoyed working under a Labour administration is that despite I am from Guyana, working as a non-national here all I needed to do was to deliver, and maintain a clean criminal record. That was easy because my sole purpose was for economic betterment in this country.”

“My family back home is still benefiting from me as I can properly and consistently support them. However, for the past seven years, had it not been for this place (house) where I can rent, I don’t know what would have happened. Things under Dr Harris are certainly tough and rough. I will vote for the Labour party,” he said.

An educator from Georgetown who migrated to Basseterre 17 years ago, recalled her enhanced standard of living under the Labour government of Dr Denzil Douglas. She sent  two of her children to US colleges on her salary in St Kitts.

But Harris and his corruption-plagued administration ruined everything.

“It’s no lie when I say that the economy seems blighted under PM Harris. Economically, things are very difficult. While I am doing better than most Guyanese that I know, several of them have left within the last seven years and more so the last four years because of the systems implemented, which we think are deliberately set out to give non-nationals a hard time,” explained the school teacher.

The veteran educator noted the most sensible choice is to get the Labour party “back into office,” as they opened for her, many doors of opportunities.

Another migrant educator blasted the incumbent administration as toxic and a plague to the twin-island nation.

‘St. Kitts is no longer the palace I knew seven years ago,” she lamented.

“Everything here has gone up. Everything is so difficult.”

“I am just waiting out this election to see what happens before making a permanent decision,” she said.

‘I miss the Labour party from office and will vote for their return on Friday,” she assured.

A number of other Guyanese speaking with www.aroundtheregions.com echoed similar sentiments, reiterating the St Kitts Nevis Labour Party (SKNLP) will be the best choice for the Federation.

Meanwhile, a number of Jamaicans primarily employed in the tourism industry, said they are also mobilising Kingston nationals living and working in St. Kitts and Nevis to support Labour, because under that party several of them were able to establish businesses, create employment and prosper.

“Under the labour party and Dr. Douglas, we lived and earned decent incomes here and were able to support our families back home. But, under Timothy, it’s all over. Nothing nah happen,” a cook employed in one of many of the food establishments on the Island complained.

Another migrant who works in the private sector, rued migrating to St. Kitts, recalling the multitude of roadblocks thrown up by the Harris’ administration to block non-nationals.

Two years ago, she moved to Constituency Seven, PM Harris’ Constituency.  It was the advice for her survival.

“Me nah into politics but mi wise to know that mi ga vote for Dr. Drew as he is from Labour and is Labour that helped me a lot since I living hey. Generally, mi nah like politicians, but hands down the labour party ah wan better party as rarely non-nationals use to complain when Douglas was in office. The Prime Minister now nah ah do wha many people expect him to do that is why nuff Jamaicans gaan back ah yard,” she explained.