“Who say youths aren’t interested in politics? The PPP is led by youths” – PM Phillips

…PPP/C’s strong youth leadership on show at 2025 campaign launch

Prime Ministerial candidate for the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips, says the party has demonstrated its commitment to young people by not only ensuring their development but also including them in the leadership of the country. Speaking at the PPP/C campaign launch for the 2025 General and Regional Elections, Phillips took the opportunity to respond to leader of A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) Aubrey Norton, who had said at his party’s campaign launch that the absence of young people there was because young people tend to not be involved in politics.

However, this was dispelled at the PPP/C’s campaign launch on Sunday at the Kitty Market Square in Georgetown, where several young leaders in the party took the stage before a mammoth crowd of some 30,000 supporters.
Prime Minister (PM) Phillips, who will be returning on the PPP/C ticket alongside President Dr Irfaan Ali as they seek re-election on September 1, declared that his party is lead by youths. “You see here today a demonstration of youths in leadership,” the PM stated, pointing to the dozens of young persons on the stage who have endorsed the PPP/C – some even from the opposition camp.
According to Phillips, “Who say youths aren’t interested in politics? …The PPP is led by youths …Don’t listen to these people.”

Invite into the White House
The PM went onto to take a jab at presidential hopeful Azruddin Mohamed, who is sanctioned by the United States (US), saying that Guyanese need a leader that can proudly represent the country on the international stage.
“We want a leader who can be invited into the White House,” said Phillips, a former army head who came out of retirement to join the successful PPP campaign at the 2020 elections.
Moreover, the PM pointed out that the PPP/C wants a stronger representation in the next parliament, urging supporters to start checking the voters list to ensure their names and that of their families and friends are included so that they can come out in droves on elections to vote next to the cup.
He reminded supporters of the last elections five years ago when they voted for the PPP/C and certain elements “prevented us from taking office for five months”.
Nevertheless, Phillips further told supporters that a vote for the PPP/C is a vote for continued growth and development over the next five years.
Additionally, the PM noted that the PPP/C believes in diversity and inclusivity.
“This is a national party, a multiethnic party, all the people are here, all the people are included,” he said. Pointing to the massive development that has taken place over the past five years even with challenges such as COVID-19 and countrywide floods, PM Phillips stressed “just imagine what we will do in the next five years”.

Visionary leadership
Meanwhile, as political parties gear up to submit their lists of candidates to the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) at today’s Nomination Day activity, the PPP/C revealed at Sunday’s campaign launch that over 25 of the candidates on the party’s lists are under 25. In fact, the strong presence of youths in the PPP/C was demonstrated on Sunday when many of them publicly declared support for the Ali/Phillips-led PPP/C to return to office. Among them, professionals who have carved their names in key sectors such as Dr Mahendra Carpen – Guyana’s leading cardiologist.
Dr Carpen went on to the stage to endorse President Ali, PM Phillips and Vice President (VP) Dr Bharrat Jagdeo for five more years in Government.
He testified at Sunday’s campaign launch that the healthcare sector is being modernised under the PPP/C Government. “This is true visionary leadership that comes from a very talented group of leaders,” Dr Carpen expressed.

Transformation in Amerindian villages
That development is not only seen on the coastland but in remote hinterland communities across the country. In fact, it was for this reason that the Toshao of Bethany in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam), Sonia Latchman, endorsed the Ali-led PPP/C for a second term in office. Latchman, who is also the Vice Chair of the National Toshaos Council (NTC), is one of many young people who are on the party’s list of candidates that will be submitted to GECOM today.
Addressing supporters at the campaign launch on Sunday, Latchman said under the PPP/C Administration, major transformation has been taking place in all Amerindian villages across the country.

Opposition crossovers
Also, among the cohort of young people within the PPP/C are some political crossovers from the opposition parties.
Tricia Richards, a former APNU+AFC Councillor in Georgetown has declared that the PPP/C is the “only national party” with a vision to take the country forward. She said that the large crowd gathered in Kitty is evident of this. Richards added that since she joined the PPP/C family, “I have not gotten anything else other than pure love, pure respect and support.” Similarly, Thandi McAllister, a former PNC/APNU Executive Member, declared, “Today I stand a proud member of the PPP/C family.”
For those persons who ask her why she jumped ship, McAllister explained that her response has always been, “open your eyes, look around and with a clear conscience, tell me why not.” At the campaign launch, she spoke of the massive infrastructural development taking place across the country including the new Demerara River Bridge. She also spoke about the massive investments taking place in other sectors including education as she declared that “the choice is clear” to vote for the continuation of progress.

“You ain’t see nothing yet”
Meanwhile, Minister within the Ministry of Housing and Water Susan Rodrigues also took the stage on Sunday, stressing that the PPP/C is without a doubt the best choice for Guyana. She noted that the PPP/C governs in a real way that brings about real change that makes real positive impact, such as the fact that over 50,000 families are now landowners under this administration.
In this regard, she noted that the PPP is the only party with the track record to get the job done. “We don’t have time for child’s play,” the Minister declared, noting that the ‘others’ are “playing dollyhouse with your future”.
Pointing to the massive development that has already taken place across the country in all sectors, Minister Rodrigues told the large gathering of supporters “if you think you’ve seen growth and development, you aint see nothing yet.”
Similar sentiments were expressed by Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce Oneidge Walrond, who reflected on when she joined the PPP/C Government as a Minister in 2020. Noting that she was never a politician, Walrond explained that the PPP/C “opened the door and invited me in, not based on favour or friendship, but because the PPP/C believes in inclusion.”
She noted that the PPP/C believes that governance must reflect “our nation’s rich diversity and that everyone must be represented at the table”.
“If you want to move Guyana forward, there is only one choice come September 1,” Minister Walrond declared, adding “We are only getting started, the best of the transformation is yet to come.”