‘Don’t risk the progress; let’s work hard for a PPP/C victory’ – Jagdeo urges Essequibo

– PM assures party will be re-elected “very soon, very shortly”

Warning about the risks of voting for any of the other parties contesting the September 1 General and Regional Elections, Vice President (VP) of the ruling People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) Administration, Dr Bharrat Jagdeo has called on supporters to work hard in ensuring that the party returns to office.

Jagdeo was at the time addressing a massive gathering of several thousand at the PPP/C’s Elections Rally held Saturday at the Anna Regina Market Square in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam). “We can’t put our future at risk. If you have to go to the backdam on [Elections] Day, don’t go. If you’re a rice farmer, go and vote. Make sure you’re protecting yourself because when the next flood comes around, you want somebody who will [work for] you. If you’re an Amerindian, you also want someone who will not take away your money or your jobs. That is what is at stake.”

“And I expect all of you on September 1 to [vote for the PPP/C]. Talk to your neighbours. Go back home and work – everyone of you must work hard for this PPP/C victory come September 1. Let’s all make sure, we don’t put our country at risk,” Jagdeo, who is also PPP/C General Secretary (GS) stressed.
Jagdeo reminded residents of Essequibo, a major rice producing region, of the hardships faced under the former A Partnership for National Unity+Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) Administration.
From the Coalition failing to fulfil their promise to pay rice farmers $10,000 per bag of paddy, to telling farmers that rice is a private business, and firing over 2000 Community Service Officers (CSOs) in Amerindian villages across the country – these are just some of the burdens citizens had to endure from 2015 to 2020 under that regime coupled with the over 200 new taxes and increases in fees which especially impacted farmers by driving up operation costs.

The GS contrasted this with the massive progress in all sectors that has taken place since the PPP/C took office in August 2020, reminding that two years were lost to the COVID-19 pandemic.
He pointed out that a PPP/C victory means more and better jobs for citizens as well as greater support for families. The PPP/C, Jagdeo said, also wants to continue to reduce costs faced by citizens and to put more money in their pockets.
No burdens for citizens
This is why the administration is currently investing heavily in healthcare and education to ensure the costs associated with these key services are no longer a burden to citizens, Jagdeo noted. Additionally, in the next five years, the PPP/C will ensure food prices are reduced through increases in local production, cheaper cooking gas is available and electricity prices are slashed by 50 per cent when the Gas-to-Energy (GtE) Project comes on-stream.
According to Jagdeo, the PPP/C will not rest until every family gets all the help to lift themselves out of poverty. In this regard, Jagdeo stated the APNU and AFC have no credibility to return to the electorate to ask for votes.
“APNU, nobody is voting for them anymore…Nobody wants to hear about them because of their track record,” Jagdeo expressed.
For instance he added, neither the APNU nor AFC can return to the sugar belt asking for votes, since it was their leaders who shut down four estates, sending some 7000 people on the breadline. On this note, Jagdeo cautioned that the APNU and AFC are aware of their failures and as such, are using other political aspirants such as United States (US)-sanctioned businessman Azruddin Mohamed to attempt to split the PPP/C’s votes.
“But they’re dreaming,” Jagdeo declared.
The PPP/C GS pointed out that Mohamed and his team are a bunch of “misfits” with no experience to lead a country. He reminded about the border controversy with Venezuela and the great support from the US, which could be threatened because of Mohamed. “Just imagine if a man like him (Mohamed), who is sanctioned like [Venezuelan President, Nicholas] Maduro, were to get into office], we put our sovereignty at risk,” Jagdeo warned. In this regard, he noted that “elections are about risk and if you’re not careful, there is a risk that you can suffer, a risk that can harm you and your families”.
As such, the GS urged residents to ensure they “work hard” for a PPP/C victory on September 1. Similar sentiments were expressed by Prime Minister (PM), Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips, in his address to supporters at Saturday’s rally in Anna Regina.
Re-elect the PPP/C
Phillips is returning alongside President Dr Irfaan Ali on the PPP/C’s ticket for the upcoming General and Regional Elections. He too encouraged supporters in Essequibo to ensure that, come September 1, the PPP/C is re-elected to office for a second term.
“Very soon, very shortly, we will re-elect the PPP/C… So, when September 1 comes, vote PPP/C…vote for continued economic growth. Vote for shared prosperity. Vote for development. And once you vote like that, very soon and very shortly Dr Ali will be the President of the next five years,” he declared at Anna Regina.
With a raised palm showing five fingers, the PM told citizens to show the PPP’s political opponents that the people of Guyana is ready to give the Ali-led administration five more years in office. “When they come, stay far from them… Don’t row with them… Just keep quiet and show them the sign, because they know the sign and they’re frightened of the sign – all of them,” he stated.
According to Phillips, the thousands of Guyanese who turned up at the PPP/C’s rally on Saturday are demonstrative of the fact that the governing party has delivered to its people. “The only reason why you’re out there in your large numbers is because we made promises to you, and we fulfilled those promises. We fulfil our promises.”
“When we have a manifesto, we use it as a checklist and every day we work overtime to have the promises fulfilled, get the work done, and [we’re] ready to go again…. So, don’t be fooled by people coming with all kinds of fancy talks and using all kinds of colours for you,” PM Phillips stressed.