Opposition camp in “panic, disarray” days before elections – Jagdeo on APNU, WIN

With just days to go before Guyanese head to the polls, General Secretary (GS) of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), Bharrat Jagdeo, has described the Opposition camp as being in “panic and disarray”, saying that their recent rhetoric betrays an acknowledgement of looming defeat.
Speaking Thursday at his weekly press conference, Jagdeo pointed to what he described as a sudden shift in the political strategy of A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and its apparent affiliate, the newly formed We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) party.
“For four months, APNU never criticised WIN. Not a word. In fact, they were collaborating,” Jagdeo said, reminding supporters that the PPP/C had long warned of “a deep partnership” between the two groups.
He argued that the sudden emergence of harsh words between them is not ideological but tactical.
“Clearly, their calculation that WIN could help make the PPP a minority Government has now collapsed. They’ve reworked their numbers, and in panic, they are turning on each other.”
“… why didn’t they say it for the past four months? Why didn’t they speak about [it]? Suddenly they think Mohamed is corrupt? Why didn’t they say it for four months? Why did the Mohameds not say anything about APNU on their track record?” Jagdeo, who is also Guyana’s Vice President, pointed out.
“A lot of the camp, they were [in] deep collaboration; look at how many Ministers and members of parliament. You remember Mohammed said he will be taking people from the PPP and from APNU? Look at what he took – two Ministers of the last Government… Tabitha and Don Hastings, and then a member of parliament too… They were sharing personnel,” he declared.
The PPP/C GS, recalling the contentious 2020 elections, reminded his audience that the PPP/C had withstood “every type of assault on democracy” and prevailed. He said this time will be no different, predicting confidently – though “not arrogantly – that the governing party will win “by a handsome margin” on September 1.

Amerindian development
Further, the GS dismissed what he called a “false narrative” being pushed by the political opposition that the PPP/C Government has neglected Guyana’s Amerindian population.
According to Jagdeo, the evidence of transformation in hinterland communities since 2020 is “visible, undeniable, and acknowledged by village leaders themselves”.
“We had 5000 Amerindians now earning directly from the treasury who were not receiving that [income] in 2020. Every one of the 216 villages has received a tractor and trailer; there are major agriculture initiatives, and thousands of jobs have been created in hinterland projects. How can anyone deny that?” Jagdeo asked.
He pointed to a string of concrete projects, including $600 million spent on three kilometres of paved roads in Mabaruma Region One (Barima-Waini), with expansion to Hosororo; a new billion-dollar secondary school constructed in Region One, along with additional schools and dormitories in Karasabai and other villages; new hospitals and upgraded facilities across the hinterland; as well as significant investments, equipment distribution and direct support for farmers.
According to Jagdeo, the pace of development in Amerindian villages under the PPP/C far surpasses what was achieved under the previous APNU+AFC Administration.
“If you go into these villages and speak with the Toshaos, you will hear it from them directly. They’ve testified about the progress at the National Toshaos Conference itself,” he stated.
Jagdeo said the party will continue to expand its investments in hinterland regions to ensure that Amerindian communities are not left behind in Guyana’s rapid economic transformation.