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1 1 (December 6, 2019)

handle is hein.crs/govebia0001 and id is 1 raw text is: Congressional Research Service Inforrning the legislative debato since 1914 December 6, 2019 Guyana: An Overview Located on the north coast of South America, English- speaking Guyana has characteristics common of a Caribbean nation because of its British colonial heritage- the country achieved independence from Britain in 1966. Guyana participates in Caribbean regional organizations and forums, and its capital of Georgetown serves as headquarters for the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), a regional integration organization. Current congressional interest in Guyana is focused on the conduct of general elections planned for March 2020, at a time when the country is poised to become a major oil producer. Source: CRS. Current Political Environment Guyana has a hybrid republican/parliamentary form of government. The presidential candidate of the party or coalition receiving the most votes becomes president; the president in turn appoints the prime minister. President David Granger leads a coalition that narrowly won in 2015, with 33 of 65 seats in the unicameral National Assembly. The coalition consists of Granger's A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and the Alliance for Change (AFC), led by Prime Minister Moses Magamootoo. The largest party in the APNU is the People's National Congress Reform (PNCR), which dominated the political system from independence until the early 1990s; the party traditionally has had an Afro-Guyanese base of support. In contrast, the AFC identifies as a multiracial party. The opposition People's Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), led by former Prime Minister Bharrat Jagdeo (1999-2011), has 32 seats in the National Assembly. Traditionally supported by Indo-Guyanese, the PPP/C governed Guyana from 1992 until its defeat in the 2015 elections. Guyana at a Glance Population: 782,000 (20 18, IMF est.) Ethnic groups: Indo-Guyanese, or those of East Indian heritage, almost 40*%; Afro-Guyanese, almost 30*%; mixed, 20*%; Amerindian almost 1 I*o (2012 est. CIA) Area: 83,000 square miles, about the size of Idaho GDP: $3.9 billion (current prices, 2018 est., IMF) Real GDP Growth: 4.1% (2018 est.); 4.4% (2019 est.) (IMF) Per Capita GDP: $4,984 (2018 est., IMF) Life Expectancy: 69.6 years (2017, WB) Sources: International Monetary Fund (IMF); Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), World Bank (WB). March 2020 Elections Originally due by September 2020, Guyana's next national elections are now scheduled for March 2, 2020, because the ruling APNU/AFC coalition lost a no-confidence motion in December 2018. The coalition lost the motion by a vote of 33-32 when an AFC member crossed the aisle to oppose the government. A legal challenge to the no-confidence vote ensued and ultimately made its way to the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ). In June 2019, the CCJ ruled that the no- confidence vote was valid. The opposition had wanted elections to be held by September 2019, three months after the CCJ's ruling. President Granger delayed announcement of the vote until the Guyana Elections Commission indicated in September 2019 that it would be ready to hold the elections by February 2020. The government has approved several international organizations to serve as electoral observers, including the Organization of American States. President Granger is running for reelection as the presidential candidate of the APNU/AFC coalition, with AFC Member of Parliament and Minister of Security Khemraj Ramjattan the candidate for prime minister. Granger was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in November 2018 and received treatment in Cuba; in October 2019, Guyanese officials announced that Granger was in remission. The PPP/C has selected Irfan Ali as its presidential candidate. Ali currently serves as shadow finance minister and previously served as housing minister. Past general elections in Guyana suggest the 2020 race will be close, but some analysts contend the APNU/AFC's S

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