Election-Driven Security Concerns

The March 2nd federal election is the foremost short-term concern of the country managers and security directors we've been speaking with. If the global wave of populist ire can lead to damaging demonstrations in Hong Kong and Paris, it would certainly seem to be possible in Georgetown, Guyana. Nonetheless, those who observed the Coalition & Opposition party marches from several perspectives found them to be well coordinated and entirely peaceful. Following suit, the several hundred people in attendance for Nominations Day, held in the heart of Guyana’s expat community, were clearly more motivated to demonstrate their political support by enjoying the soca-filled arrival of their party leaders as opposed to setting cars on fire.

Yet once the results are revealed it will be clear that nearly all the 11 parties with candidates will be out of power. And with the economic boost from the IOC community, the governing power will be significant indeed – perhaps worth further challenge.

Post-Election Security Concerns

Predicting the degree of unrest as we get closer to the election is not a fruitful effort. There is too much inherent uncertainty in the situation. There are no tracking polls, and the dynamic of a small country can be affected by a few people. We are building an analysis of election scenarios with corresponding outcomes. To preserve business continuity, we're all better off considering and preparing for a range of outcomes.

Traffic

If physical protests block the roadways and bridges between your facility and your workers, then getting to work could be significantly impacted. The roadways connecting residential locations and the business districts of Georgetown such as the East Coast Highway, Railway Embankment and East Bank Demerara road are potential hotspots, followed by the highly trafficked zones such as the Ogle Airport and the Seawall where the Marriott and Pegasus are located. Upscale neighborhoods generally preferred by the expat community, such as BelAir Park, Lamaha Gardens, BelAir Springs, and Demerara Estates (near the Giftland Mall) may be more difficult to enter and exit.

The Human Element:

If local staff are faced with political divisions and increased pressures after voting day, there may be delays in workday arrivals or even absences. Various other organizations (e.g. local vendors) have political ties, which can help or harm your efforts.

Utilities

Utility cables are occasionally prone to vandalism and disruption, which are potentially related to protests of government decisions and operations. As voting day approaches, the threat of sabotage to electric cabling and power stations is a growing concern to all. It helps to be aware of the single points of failure for your facility and to test your generators for reliable operation. While there probably isn't enough time before the election for most firms to add complete redundancy and/or backups before the election, adding spot backup coverage is prudent in any case.

Businesses

Many of the businesses frequented by the international community have historical political ties be it via ownership or affiliation, the physical locations of which may come under political pressure at the height of the election period. Demonstrations may be coordinated at the few hotels with conference facilities that cater to international standards. The Guyanese pendant for social media activism is a good monitor of any events which may fall victim to ad-hoc protests or aggravated political activity not readily preempted by the casual observer.

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Secure Pointe Guyana
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Happy Acres
Georgetown, Guyana
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