Pres Ali has intelligence, competency & political awareness to run Guyana

…politician James Bond says PPP has best machinery, no other party can match

With a first term in office filled with promises delivered, enhanced social services and a legacy of unprecedented national development, President Dr Irfaan Ali has demonstrated that he has what it takes to lead Guyana for another five years.
This is according to seasoned politician James Bond, who appeared on the recent edition of the Starting Point podcast. He pointed out that Ali ranks way higher among the current cohort of frontrunners contesting the upcoming September 1 General and Regional Elections.
President Ali, alongside Prime Minister (PM) Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips, will be leading the ruling People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) for a second term in office at the 2025 polls. According to Bond, “I think, running a country, you have to have a certain set of skills and a certain set of political intelligence… Dr Ali has shown that he has the intelligence, the competency, the political awareness to run this country… There is absolutely no party. Forget the social media hype. When it comes to E-day, you have to have a machinery in place.”
Bond, a former Peoples National Congress (PNC) member who has endorsed the Ali-led administration, noted that no other political party can muster the machinery to contest all 10 regions across Guyana, not even the PNC-led A Partnership for National Unity (APNU). “It is widely accepted by all Guyanese that the strongest political party is the People’s Progressive Party/Civic – the incumbent. They have the best machinery, they have the widest array of talents, widest array of skillset, the widest array of politically astute persons… You point me to a political party that could match the talent, the wealth of experience, the competency of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic in the Caribbean,” the politician challenged.
Bond dismissed the fanfare that maybe growing around other political rivals, comparing it to past trends that were seen in Guyana’s political landscape.
“The PPP says as close as it comes to being a political rival is the PNC, none other. The AFC (Alliance For Change) is not a political rival to the PPP. WIN (We Invest in Nationhood – the party founded by US sanctioned businessman, Azruddin Mohamed) is not a political rival to the PPP… I saw CN Sharma giving out [things] and doing a lot of charitable stuff [but] when it came to voting time, Sharma wondering how he didn’t get [any] seat… It’s not a popularity contest but [about knowing] who has what it takes to run a country, and President Ali has demonstrated that capability,” he contended.
Bond, who is also an Attorney-at-Law and a businessman, outlined that in this current electoral season, the PPP/C has been leading the way like it did over the last five years, demonstrating its strength through mega events such as fundraisers.
Over the past few weeks, the PPP has held fundraising dinners, barbecue and family Fun Days, concerts and even sporting events, attracting thousands of supporters and stakeholders. These events, Bond said, are setting the tone for everyone else to follow.

Promises delivered!
Bond added that an Ali-Phillips ticket backed by PPP General Secretary Dr Bharrat Jagdeo, would position the PPP/C for a massive victory at the upcoming elections. He said the foundation for this was set over the past five years with the tremendous work that was done by the current administration that saw development all across Guyana, in every sector and for every single citizen.
“It isn’t about taking a chance or risk, I think we’ve gone past that. People think the average Guyanese voter is not intelligent, that they can’t actually see who does what… The People’s Progressive Party/Civic has touched the lives of every single Guyanese…”
According to Bond, the PPP/C’s work has seen its membership expanding massive in recent years, now becoming the most diverse political party in the country. He added that the PPP/C’s successful implementation of its 2020 manifesto promises has attracted an overwhelming growth in its supporters.
“The People’s Progressive Party/Civic has impacted the lives of every Guyanese in a real way, and I think Guyanese are intelligent …[to] understand that. When we talk about people who are switching and the movement of people, they are moving towards the People’s Progressive Party/Civic. I’ve never seen so many Afro-Guyanese at the PPP/Civic, and the PPP/Civic is at its strongest now than it’s ever been before… PPP/Civic has shown that they deliver on promises and their words… that is why not just Afro-Guyanese but all Guyanese coming to them… I’ve never seen a Government deliver so many promises they would’ve made… When they tell you something, ‘yuh could put yuh pot pun fyah and rice ah come.’ Promises delivered,” Bond declared.

A legacy built on delivery
According to the politician, President Ali has already built a legacy in his first term in office – something that cannot be said about his predecessor, former President David Granger who led the APNU+AFC Coalition from 2015 to 2020.
Asked about the legacy of Granger, Bond questioned, “What legacy?”
“When you talk about a President leaving a legacy, there is no way you would tell me a legacy is a President leaving out young people – you throwing away young people, dash out young people, don’t give jobs to young people,” the former PNC member stressed.
Bond noted that while Granger is a very intelligent person, he was a poor judge of talent.
“He put a lot of square pegs in round holes… It was his duty to find dynamic people and put them in dynamic places. There were only few Ministries that were successful under his watch – very few. So, for me to say that he’s left a legacy – nah.”