PPP/C stresses record for Indigenous, Hinterland development

…as former Bartica Mayor says time to work together rather than live with racism, division

People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) General Secretary (GS) Bharrat Jagdeo, speaking alongside the President at Saturday’s PPP/C rally in Bartica, emphasised his party’s record of delivering for Indigenous communities and advancing mining development.
He recalled that under the previous administration, a coalition between A Partnership for National Unity and the Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC), more than 2,000 Amerindians lost their jobs, the land titling programme stalled, and some Government leaders reportedly described Amerindians as “too greedy” to benefit further
In contrast, Jagdeo said, the PPP/C has re-employed nearly 5,000 Amerindians, resumed and expanded the land titling programme and distributed $14 billion to 242 villages for community-led development projects.
He also highlighted the installation of Wi-Fi in hinterland villages, enabling students to access university education without leaving their communities.
Jagdeo also credited the current administration with revitalising the mining industry, accusing the previous Government of crippling it by raising royalties, increasing tributary rates and imposing value-added taxes on equipment.
“They promised to remove all taxes from mining. They increased the royalty, they increased the tributaries rate, then put the value-added taxes on machinery and equipment. Even to bring gas or to take gas into the interior, you had to get a special permission. People had to bring out their equipment to get the licence for it. Mining practically died”.
“Under the PPP, we promised to reverse all of those. The first thing we did, we removed the tributaries tax totally. We removed the taxes on machinery and equipment. And we reduced the royalty rate back. And today, the mining industry is prospering. So how can they go to any miner now, today and make any promise? How would believe them? Which miner, in his right sense, would believe anything that APNU says?” he added.
Meanwhile, former Mayor of Bartica, Gifford Marshall, says he is ready to work with President Dr Irfaan and the PPP/C over the next five years for Bartica’s development.
Speaking for the first time on the PPP/C platform, Marshall recalled that when he broke ties with the PNC-led APNU and publicly announced his endorsement of President Ali for a second term in office in July, he was called all sorts of names.
However, he said, he remains strong and is ready to work with the Ali-led PPP/C. Marshall said that for too long, Bartica has struggled with racism, division and divisiveness, but now it is time to work together.
“My children and your children should not have to endure the struggles and the division and the racism that we have seen in the past …we have to work together,” he declared.
The former Bartica Mayor added that he is even more motivated after having worked with PPP members over the last few weeks such as the Natural Resources Minister Vickram Bharrat, who asked for them to work together for the betterment of the country.
“So even as we have persons right now spewing the hate and division, we have persons who are committed to…a united Guyana, committed to a better country and those are individuals we have to join shoulders with and improve our country… Barticians, let’s take the love to every home and every community and ensure we have a united Guyana,” Marshall noted.