As he reflected on the grim reality of many families in Guyana, Presidential Candidate of the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C), Irfaan Ali has vowed to restore hope among the people, especially those who have experienced some form of struggle within the last few years.
A section of the gathering at the fundraising event on Monday evening
Ali was at the time delivering remarks at the Party’s Georgetown District fundraising dinner on Monday evening at Parc Rayne.
“Today, families and women and mothers are not only faced with the hardship that the economy is bringing to them, they are faced with broken down social infrastructure, broken down healthcare system, a broken education system, a system in which safety and security is not guaranteed,” he explained.
To this end, he promised to restore hope among those families. “This party struggles every day to advance the cause of humanity,” Ali expressed.
“We owe it to those mothers, we owe it to every single woman of this country, to struggle, to fight and to restore for them, that hope, that dignity, that price to be able to protect their family,” he stated.
In preparation for the upcoming General and Regional Elections, the PPP/C has unveiled part of its elections manifesto, where it provided a glimpse of its plan for the country should it be elected at the March 2020 polls.
According to Ali, this plan will truly guarantee a good life for every single citizen of Guyana.
PPP/C Presidential Candidate, Dr Irfaan Ali addressing supporters
“I present to you a PPP plan that will deliver this better tomorrow that will ensure our young people will look up to tomorrow with hope,” the Presidential Candidate posited.
“When you support us on March 2, you are supporting more jobs, you are supporting a better economy, you are supporting the protection of your rights… [you are supporting] youth development, a safe and secure environment, development of the productive sectors, real growth, infrastructural development, a better education system, a stronger and more united Guyana in which investment will flow once again, jobs will be restored and most importantly, there will be social justice for all,” Ali said.
Among the Party’s plans for Guyana is the removal of Value Added Tax (VAT) on key areas such as electricity, water and healthcare, among other things.
Also on the Party’s agenda is the reversal and/or reduction of the over 200 tax measures imposed by the coalition administration— such as on building materials, on data, and exports.
Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo had pointed out that Government should be encouraging more exports so that foreign currency can be earned and more jobs created locally, not trying to stifle exports.
Moreover, the Party intends to reverse the VAT on farming, mining and forestry equipment.
For the education sector, the PPP/C has promised to offer 20,000 online scholarships along with strategic initiatives to support the private education system.
Additionally, the Party plans to offer free university education within its five-year term in office.
Jagdeo had reasoned that “We could’ve easily said free university from day one but we’re not APNU (A Partnership for National Unity – the majority party in the coalition government). They promised free university, but they increased the University fees by 25 per cent. We’re not gonna do that, we’re making it clear within the five year’s we’re gonna do it”.
