Declaring readiness to defeat every political opponent at the upcoming September 1 General and Regional Elections, the Peoples National Congress (PNC)-led A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) has launched its 2025 elections campaign.
Held at the Square of the Revolution in Georgetown on Sunday, the APNU Coalition launch saw scores of supporters in attendance and heard from several known party members including frontrunners, Presidential Candidate Aubrey Norton and Prime Ministerial Candidate Juretha Fernandes.
Supporters were also introduced to several new candidates who have endorsed the coalition. In fact, moments prior to Sunday’s campaign launch, Attorney-at-Law Roysdale Force, who had previously challenged Norton for the PNC leadership post, endorsed the Norton-Fernandes ticket along with businessman and gospel singer, Saiku Andrews, who will be among the new faces on APNU’s Candidate list at the upcoming elections.
Norton, in his address, promised that the APNU coalition will deliver a competent team heading into the polls.
“When you see the full list, it will have engineers, economists, lawyers, policy-makers, and I am saying to you, they are young and competent,” the party leader stated.
Norton, who also celebrated his birthday on Sunday, said his party will work for national unity, ensuring that all the people of Guyana benefit from the country’s resources. He assured that every Guyanese will have a share of Guyana’s oil boon under an APNU Coalition.
According to Norton, the APNU Coalition’s people-centred strategy will put citizens first, though he did not unveil the party’s 2025 elections manifesto at the launch.
“The political party that knows how to govern this country, the political party with a development strategy for this country, the political party that wants to see good governance and the inclusive of all the people is the A Partnership for National Unity,” Norton posited.
He went on to tell supporters that voting for the APNU Coalition is a vote not just for their future but their children’s, promising to bring lots of changes to their lives.
“When you put your ‘x’ next to palm (APNU’s party symbol), you are voting for more money in your pockets. When you put your ‘x’ next to palm, you are voting for better social services,” he stated.
Stressing that the APNU Coalition is the better choice at the upcoming elections, Norton declared “We are alive, we are well and we are strong. And we are going to defeat every opponent on September 1.”
While Norton sent most of his hour-long speech reflecting on the work done by the David Granger-led APNU+AFC regime, it was his running mate Fernandes, who detailed some of the party’s promises to the Guyanese electorate.
“The APNU Coalition, under the stewardship of Aubrey Norton, has decided that it is time that the money is spent on the people and we have crafted people-centred policies, and we have a people centred development strategy,” the coalition’s PM candidate noted.
According to Fernandes, this strategy promises a 35 per cent salary increase for public servants, an increase of the income tax threshold to $400,000 per month, an increase of monthly pension to senior citizens to $100,000, a $50,000 monthly stipend for young person undergoing a post-secondary education, and a $120,000 annual stipend for every child from birth to 18 years.
Fernandes, who abandoned the Alliance For Change (AFC) to be Norton’s running mate on the APNU ticket at the upcoming polls, stressed “When we talk about a people-centred development strategy, we’re not playing with our people. We are making sure that the money goes back to you… It is achievable because we have the resources… This is your time Guyana – each and every one of you!”
Meanwhile, Sunday’s campaign launch also saw presentations from the party’s Vice President potential, Ganesh Mahipaul, as well as leaders of several of the political parties within the APNU Coalition, including the Working People’s Alliance (WPA).
