British Guiana general election, 1926

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General elections were held in British Guiana on 15 October October 1926. [1]

British Guiana British posession in the Guianas region between 1814–1966

British Guiana was the name of the British colony, part of the British West Indies (Caribbean), on the northern coast of South America, now known as the independent nation of Guyana.

Contents

Electoral system

The elections were held under the 1891 constitution, which provided for a 16-member Court of Policy, half of which was elected. The Court included the Governor, seven government officials (the Attorney General, the Government Secretary, the Immigration Agent General and the Receiver General, together with three other appointees). The eight elected members were elected from seven constituencies; [2] Demerara East, Demerara West, Essequebo North Western, Essequebo South Eastern, Berbice, City of Georgetown (2 members) and New Amsterdam. [3]

Court of Policy

The Court of Policy was a legislative body in Dutch and British Guiana until 1928. For most of its existence it formed the Combined Court together with the six Financial Representatives.

Demerara historic region of the Guianas

Demerara is a historical region in the Guianas on the north coast of South America which is now part of the country of Guyana. It was a Dutch colony until 1815 and a county of British Guiana from 1838 to 1966. It was located about the lower courses of the Demerara River, and its main town was Georgetown.

Essequibo (colony) former Dutch colony in Guiana, South America

Essequibo was a Dutch colony on the Essequibo River in the Guiana region on the north coast of South America from 1616 to 1814. The colony formed a part of the colonies that are known under the collective name of Dutch Guiana.

In addition, six "Financial Representatives" were also elected in six single member constituencies; Demerara, Essequebo North Western, Essequebo South Eastern, Berbice, Georgetown and New Amsterdam. [3] Together with the Court of Policy, the two groups formed the Combined Court. [2]

Combined Court

The Combined Court was the legislature of British Guiana until 1928. In its final form, it consisted of a sitting of the Court of Policy together with the elected Financial Representatives.

The franchise was restricted on the basis of a minimum income level, and women could not vote; [2] as a result, only 11,103 people were registered to vote from a population of 317,026 (3.5%). [1]

Campaign

The Popular Party, which had been formed earlier in the year, was the only party to contest the elections, and campaigned on a platform of economic development. Conservative candidates also criticised the lack of development within the territory. [1]

Popular Party (British Guiana)

The Popular Party was a political party in British Guiana.

Results

The People's Party won twelve of the fourteen elected seats. [1]

Aftermath

Following the elections, the results in almost every seat was challenged, resulting in five results being overturned on technicalities. [4]

Related Research Articles

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Georgetown, Guyana City in Demerara-Mahaica, Guyana

Georgetown is a city and the capital of Guyana, located in Region 4, which is also known as the Demerara-Mahaica region. It is the country's largest urban centre. It is situated on the Atlantic Ocean coast at the mouth of the Demerara River and it was nicknamed 'Garden City of the Caribbean.'

The recorded history of Guyana can be dated back to 1466, when Guyana de Ojeda's first expedition arrived from Spain at the Essequibo River. The history of Guyana has been shaped by the participation of many national and ethnic groups, as well as the colonial policies of the Spanish, French, Dutch, and British. The African slave rebellions in 1763 and 1823 were seminal moments in the nation's history. Africans were enslaved and transported to Guyana as slaves; in contrast, East Indians came as indentured labourers. Guyana's recent history is characterized in particular by the struggle to free itself from colonial rule, and from the lingering effects of colonialism.

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1947 British Guiana general election

General elections were held in British Guiana on 24 November 1947. The British Guiana Labour Party emerged as the largest party, winning five of the 14 seats. Voter turnout was 71%.

1930 British Guiana general election

General elections were held in British Guiana in September 1930.

1921 British Guiana general election

General elections were held in British Guiana on 19 October 1921.

1916 British Guiana general election

General elections were held in British Guiana in 1916.

1911 British Guiana general election

General elections were held in British Guiana in 1911.

1906 British Guiana general election

General elections were held in British Guiana in 1906.

1901 British Guiana general election

General elections were held in British Guiana in 1901.

1897 British Guiana general election

General elections were held in British Guiana in 1897.

1892 British Guiana general election

General elections were held in British Guiana in 1892.

Political Affairs Committee (British Guiana)

The Political Affairs Committee (PAC) was a political party in British Guiana.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 James G Rose (1992) British colonial policy and the transfer of power in British Guiana, 1945-1964 King's College London
  2. 1 2 3 Historical information events and dates on the Parliament of Guyana from 1718 to 2006 Parliament of Guyana
  3. 1 2 George D Bayley (1909) Handbook of British Guiana, 1909: Comprising General and Statistical Information Concerning the Colony, The Argosy, p158
  4. Walter Rodney (1966) Masses in Action New World Quarterly 2:3, pp30-37