The nation is in the final lap of the political silly season and all areas of society will, no doubt, complete their scorecards evaluating how the game was played, irrespective of the outcome at next week’s polls.

Come Thursday, September 4, 2025, both those celebrating and those licking their wounds will also need to complete a process of ratiocination to determine the kind of leadership path they will take in furtherance of the will of the people expressed in their voting.

By now, much of the electorate should have learnt that politicians campaign in fantasy and govern in reality. So the road taken when the ballot boxes are put away often does not have the same flourish and hopefulness that accompanied the campaign trail.

Whether from political rally stages or national debates presentations — set to culminate this evening with the leadership round — the two major political parties have been offering grand promises to all who will listen. Counterpoints have given up views as to why the other’s offer is unworkable or “unfundable”. It now falls squarely in the lap of the voting public to discern which slate of pledges will redound more to the benefit of the nation we wish to have.

Truth is, we in this space, joined by our colleagues in the Fourth Estate, have endeavoured to provide accurate, unbiased information to support the citizenry in being suitably informed. The task is not done on September 3, but the choice would have been made.

Our Caricom brothers and sisters in Guyana have a similar choice to make next week. The country’s two-term People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government seeks to continue its plans as the Opposition parties seek to wrestle power from them on Monday, September 1.

The mission of growth is high on the agenda for both nations, with crime, education, and health care also having places in the national discourse.

It cannot be beyond us to look to the similarities in our situations being both young democracies — Guyana, 59; Jamaica, 63. As well, both countries have the development of nascent political parties and almost the same number of parliamentary seats up for the taking — Guyana, 65; Jamaica, 63.

Tensions have featured in the campaigns executed in both territories, which certainly has had impact on the display of democracy in both countries.

Despite the variance in resources, and Guyana’s gross domestic product outpacing Jamaica’s threefold, the exercise and display of democracy and respecting the voice of the people can be no different.

As the electors digest the offers of the parties, and the candidates preen in hopes of selection, may the values of democracy never take a back seat to politicking, and may the people of the region — with Jamaica and Guyana now on display — not lose sight of the nationhood than depends on these polls.

The decisions made by people cannot be based on being diehards or under-the-table dealings, but in the interest of their respective countries, based on their particular ambitions.

Late US President Franklin D Roosevelt is noted for saying, “Democracy cannot succeed unless those who express their choice are prepared to choose wisely.”

This is not the requirement of those qualified to cast votes. The region and the word are watching.