GUYANA: ELECTION OUTLOOK

Created: 12/12/1980

OCR scan of the original document, errors are possible

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Election Outlook

Prttulattnd hieimos uili emerge /re- i'X natio>*i; election on Mondaytill tight'tr poiitic-il hold on Guyana, dce: ;ta incipient

Burnham,hrewd manipulator and ncmallnned has called the election at an opportune time. The Moscow-line opposition party led by Cheddi Jagan, which boycotted the last election, will participate this_fcino, lending greater legitimacy to the balloting.

The radical Working People's Alliance had theto seriously threaten the .toyern.'ne.it until its

leader was* row

is in disarray and will Boycott the election. Moreover, public concern over electricity shortages and scarcity of consumer goods ha^not_yet begun to harden sentiment against Burnhan .

Burnham's party has made sure that it will win at least two-tairds of the 6'; seats in the legislature. Recont constitutional changes assure hiseats, polling lists allegedly have boon padded, and securityforceswill intimidate voters while guarding

the pOllS.

In addition, party thugs are disrupting opposition :a'lies, and opposition party members are being arrested

The Working People's Alliance las threatened"to sabotage the election, but its action* probably will be isolated and ineffective.

Original document.

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