Dear Editor,
Democracy may be more than elections, but free, fair, and regular elections must certainly be the most fundamental aspect of democratic governance. Without elections, the very thing we call citizenship will cease to exist in any meaningful way.
The PPP/C has always put its faith in free and fair elections, and accordingly, no one should be surprised with its focus on educating, preparing and mobilizing the Guyanese people for the upcoming LGE next month.
The PPP/C will win these elections for five specific reasons. Firstly, PPP supporters are highly motivated, well organized, and are eager to contest these elections. They know that without elections they do not have a voice in governing the country. Readers need to know that, in politics, party leaders and supporters communicate a great deal in the run-up to elections. During this time, the rank-and-file members of the party get steady access to leaders, who get to know thousands upon thousands of the people who not only vote, but get others to do so. Look around Guyana and you will see the red force in action.
Secondly, the PPP has superb leadership at the top. Freedom House is a well-oiled machine. It is built on brilliant strategic thinking, agile political manoeuvres, and a ferocious tenacity to make party supporters central to what the party does, and how it goes about putting ideas into action and action into service.
President Ali and Vice President Jagdeo are not only gifted political minds, but are also maximally pragmatic. Unlike the PNC, which is stuck in thinking from the 1960s, the PPP is made of the stuff of innovation. Mr. Norton has nothing to offer his own party, much less the Guyanese people. The WPA and AFC are born losers where elections at the LGE are concerned. Neither could even get a respectable list of candidates. The WPA, by its own admission, is leaderless. AFC leaders worry most about which one will be the favourite pet of the APNU.
In the meantime, Prime Minister Brigadier Mark Phillips is an astute field commander for the civic component of the PPP/C.
Thirdly, it can now be said with both confidence and data that the PPP has the most ethnically diverse list of candidates compared to any party list in the history of Guyana. The PPP struck a mighty step forward with new names on the list, including former Mayor of Georgetown and APNU Councillor Patricia Chase-Green, APNU Councillor Tricia Richards, and former Independent City Councillor for the Albouystown/Charlestown Constituency, Malcolm Ferreira.
Nor should we forget that the PPP now has on board former National Cricketer and Businessman Steven Jacobs, and national footballer Jeremy Garrett, a former Citizenship Initiative Executive. These are only the most high-profile names of prominent Afro-Guyanese who have joined the PPP ticket.
The PPP ticket is also deep with gender balance and with young candidates. These are historical strengths of the PPP/C. The current cabinet, for instance, has several young ministers who are making incisive contributions to the country. Charles Ramson Jr. and Susan Rodrigues obviously come to mind. The indefatigable Nigel Dharamlall and Collin Croal obviously come to mind as youngish party activists who made it all the way to cabinet ministers!
Fourthly, the record of the PPP/C really matters. Without a solid record of economic achievements, even the best of political parties cannot budge voters. Remember James Carville’s “It’s the economy, stupid!” Despite every effort by development deniers in Guyana, many of whom hide behind the label “civil society,” Guyana is moving forward. It is important to acknowledge that while oil and gas are at the leading edge of the current economic transformation, the non-oil sectors, and particularly agriculture, are making great strides. GuySuCo CEO Mr. Sasenarine Singh is optimistic that the promised turnaround in sugar is well under way. GuySuCo is set to meet all its production targets. Recall that this is the same industry that the APNU-AFC worked hard to put out of business, with massive layoffs and blatant disrespect for workers.
Still on the economic front, it is imperative that we acknowledge the dramatic innovation in monetizing our carbon sink capacity. The first ever REDD+-TREES agreement between Guyana and Hess Corporation is bold, brilliant, and unprecedented. Guyana is leading the way on climate change economics for developing countries. Readers should also know that, in addition to oil revenues, the Local Content Legislation for the oil sector is allowing Guyanese employment and business opportunities that only years ago were the stuff of wishing thinking.
Fifth and finally, the PPP/C is an optimistic force in Guyana. When you listen to those from the PNC/R, WPA, and AFC, you cannot help but feel a sense of gloom and doom. These people are not only poor managers of the economy, but they are also steep in negativity that is almost ideological. They hope for failure because the rhetoric of doom and gloom is their basic language.
The PPP is on its way to a massive victory at the June LGE. It is quite likely that the crossover movement from the APNU-AFC to the PPP, which began in small but steady steps, will turn into a tidal wave.
Sincerely,
Dr Randolph Persaud
