Home News PPP/C’s next term to focus on fiscal discipline, empowerment, 5000 new contractors...
Vice President (VP) of Guyana and General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C), Bharrat Jagdeo, has emphasised the importance of on-the-ground connection with the people and the importance of focusing on fiscal responsibility for sustainability in order to deliver on promises to the people during an interview on the “Starting Point” podcast on Monday.
Jagdeo also spoke about the party’s plans for youth empowerment and growth, and significant wealth creation opportunities during the party’s next term in office. According to Jagdeo, the party is projecting the creation of over 5000 new contractors across the country in the coming term, a move that would significantly boost local businesses and create more opportunities for Guyanese citizens.
“Wealth creation is about expanding procurement opportunities for Guyanese contractors,” Jagdeo said. “We are committed to providing more opportunities for small contractors, especially in rural regions. In the last term, we saw 700 contractors in Region 10 receive projects worth up to $11 million, and we aim to expand that further.”
Jagdeo emphasised that the PPP/C’s careful approach to economic policies has laid a strong foundation for sustained growth, with particular attention to creating new opportunities for young people and expanding the contractor base across the country.
Jagdeo reiterated the PPP/C’s commitment to maintaining fiscal prudence, emphasising that the party’s careful management of Guyana’s economy since assuming office in 1992 has been key to the country’s stability and progress.
He pointed to the importance of creating a sustainable macroeconomic environment before pursuing large-scale social and economic projects, as opposed to the unrealistic promises being made by many of the opposition political parties, particularly A Partnership for National Unity (APNU).
Jagdeo critiqued the lavish promises currently being peddled by the APNU and others, such as significantly higher cash grants and pension increases, which he argued were not feasible without creating the necessary wealth to support them.
“You have to create wealth before you distribute wealth,” he stated, stressing the importance of responsible fiscal planning.
“We’ve always been careful and deliberate about economic policies. From the very beginning, we had to focus on re-establishing a sustainable macroeconomic environment. Without addressing that issue, there would have been no viable social or economic plan for Guyana.”
On strengthening the party’s youth membership in the party’s next term, VP Jagdeo noted that the party has long recognised the need to provide opportunities for young people. Asked about the party’s future, Jagdeo noted that the People’s Progressive Youth Organisation (PYO), which currently boasts 15,000 members ranging from 13 to 35 years old, is expected to play a pivotal role in the party’s future direction.
“We have a lot of experienced people who have to stand behind those young people, support them, and lift them up. “I’ve been working across the country since our last Congress to try to build a core of young people,” the VP said. “Our party has always recognised the need to give opportunities to young people. The next term I want to work at strengthening those young people.
He highlighted the party’s recent efforts to incorporate younger candidates into the political process, with the purposeful selection of a number of young candidates on the party’s List of Candidates for the upcoming September 1 General and Regional Elections.
Another significant aspect of the PPP/C’s vision for its next term is the creation of wealth through an expanded contractor base. Dr Jagdeo noted that the PPP/C plans to continue providing these opportunities through a system of set rates, ensuring that smaller contractors can access government projects without having to bid at lower levels. Larger contracts will still require a competitive bidding process, but overall, the government’s procurement strategy is aimed at making it easier for small businesses to thrive.
