Guyana's president sweeps to re-election
Thu Aug 31, 2006 9:12 PM ET
GEORGETOWN, Guyana (Reuters) - Guyana's youthful President Bharrat
Jagdeo has won re-election in the former British colony, authorities
said on Thursday.
Jagdeo, a 42-year-old ethnic Indian, won 64.6 percent of Monday's
vote while his People's Progressive Party/Civic party also held
its majority in 65-member parliament, said Guyana Chief Election
Officer Gocool Boodoo.
Guyana, an impoverished nation wedged between Venezuela and Suriname,
appeared to have escaped violence that marred previous votes.
Political tensions between the Indian majority and Afro-Guyanese
boiled over into rioting after elections in 1992, 1997 and 2001.
Jagdeo, educated as an economist in Russia, has promised better
government services and to crack down on crime. But Guyana remains
poor and lacking in investment despite a wealth of bauxite, gold
and timber reserves.