In an era where too many national elections worldwide end in discord and uncertainty, the Caribbean offers a counterpoint: ballots cast, counted, and the results accepted. Earlier this month, notably in Jamaica, and in Guyana after a failed attempt by an opposition party for new elections, the orderly transfer of political mandate reaffirmed that our homelands are anchored by democratic continuity, even as global politics churn in turbulence.

Nationals of Jamaica and Guyana, two of Caricom’s most influential member states, returned their governments to office. Dr Andrew Holness’ Jamaica Labour Party secured an unprecedented third consecutive term, while Dr Irfaan Ali’s People’s Progressive Party/Civic consolidated its second five-year hold on Guyana’s political future.

Both contests, assessed by election observers from the OAS, Caricom, the Carter Center, and others, were declared to be free, fair, and peaceful. Both outcomes reflected more than electoral cycles, underscoring institutional, foundational, and democratic resilience.

A central message now coming out of our homelands is stability. Holness acknowledged low voter turnout in Jamaica but insisted the majority who did participate expressed confidence in his government’s stewardship.

In Guyana, Ali’s decisive win signals a populace prepared to trust his leadership in a time of rapid economic transformation. Continuity in Kingston and Georgetown means Caricom is strengthened as it navigates regional challenges, among these being food security, territorial sovereignty, and collective action against climate change.

The reaffirmation of regional stability did not go unnoticed among Caribbean leaders. Grenada’s PM Dickon Mitchell’s message emphasised “resilient, inclusive and sustainable” regional cooperation. Barbados’ Mia Mottley framed it as “a moment of significance for both Guyana and the region”. Dominica’s Roosevelt Skerrit and Trinidad and Tobago’s Kamla Persad-Bissessar each underscored sovereignty, democracy, and peace as shared imperatives.

Such voices speaking in unison affirm that Caricom’s project of unity and integration depends on strong and stable national mandates.

Yet Jamaica’s voter apathy remains troubling. Fewer than four in ten registered voters stained their forefingers, a statistic that cannot be ignored in any healthy democracy. But low turnout does not diminish the legitimacy of the outcome; instead, it challenges Jamaica’s leaders to re-engage nationals and to broaden participation, a task that contributes to strong democratic growth.

Meanwhile, Guyana now faces challenges in the political aftershocks of the vote. The emergence of WIN, formed only months before the election, has upended the traditional order by displacing APNU as the official opposition.

WIN’s unexpected ascent has introduced an element of uncertainty, raises questions about the durability of established parties, and the stability of parliamentary dynamics.

Meanwhile, for our Caribbean diaspora in the GTA, these outcomes resonate beyond the ballot box. Elections back home and peaceful outcomes affirm the durability of the ties we continue to nurture abroad. Our contributions to the region, whether in remittances, property ownership, or cultural takeaways, are grounded in the confidence that our homelands are guided by order. Also, we retain, metaphorically of course, an umbilical connection, one that binds us to our Caribbean’s democratic heartbeat.

This connectivity found institutional voice in the Canada Guyana Chamber of Commerce’s message, with its Chair Lilian Chatterjee praising Ali’s record of economic growth, infrastructure development, and social progress. The CGCC also pledged to deepen trade and investment ties, noting that Ali’s renewed mandate offers an opportunity to advance national unity and equitable growth.

The CGCC’s message resonates directly in our diasporic community: our engagement is strengthened when democratic continuity assures us that our investments of faith, family, and finance rest on a solid, democratic foundation.

For our diaspora, this is more than reassurance. As our homelands build, so too are we growing and investing back home, forging a better, stronger Caribbean together.