Granger warns against complacency – urges Lindeners to vote in full numbers

By Ariana Gordon, March 15, 2016, http://guyanachronicle.com/gra...ote-in-full-numbers/

jubilant President David Granger and his APNU-AFC entourage take to their feet at the end of last night’s meeting in Linden (Photo by Adrian Narine)

RESIDENTS of the mining town of Linden were last night warned against complacency as it relates to voting in Friday’s Local Government Elections (LGE).

President David Granger cautioned residents against feeling that the APNU-AFC coalition government has the elections covered because of the results of the May 11 General Elections.

President Granger was at the time speaking to Lindeners at a public rally held at the Mackenzie Bus Park tarmac.
He called on those persons contesting for positions on the municipality to use the next 48 hours to communicate with residents and encourage them to vote.

“You have to communicate with your constituents; they want to see your eyes… Go door-to-door; valley-to-valley… If they don’t see your face, they don’t see you; they don’t trust you, and they won’t vote for you,” the President said.

He noted, too, that outside of communication, it is equally important to be organised.

“You cannot win these elections if you are disorganised,” he said.

Those contesting the elections on behalf the Coalition were also urged to mobilise and educate their constituents.

“You have to make sure they know what they are voting for,” President Granger said.

Highlighting the importance of LGE to the people of Linden, the President said the people of Linden have all of the requisite resources available to them, but stressed that there is a great need for empowerment.

“On Friday morning, you are going to be electing your own councils democratically… these elections could be very peculiar. Many of you never voted before in Local Government Elections, and could be confused,” he said as he called on Lindeners to be alert.

“Don’t be misled that what happened on May 11th will automatically happen,” he emphasised. Local governance, he said will return power to the people of Linden and give the town the boost it needs to develop to its true potential.
President Granger noted that jobs must be created for the unemployed and made a pitch for young people to become active in agro-processing and other enterprises.

The President said it is his vision that the people of Linden will no longer have to depend on the city for anything. He hopes to see all of the facilities available in Georgetown available in the mining town.

Region 10, he said has been starved for resources but with LGE, the people of Linden can look forward to a brighter future.

TO THE RESCUE
“APNU-AFC has come to the rescue!” declared President Granger, much to the pleasure of the hyped crowd.

“I want you people to be educated, to be entrepreneur… I want you to become a manufacturing economy,” he said, noting that when he returns to Linden, his ears must be buzzing with noise from factories and not music from parties.

Enterprise, he noted is very important and stressed the need for greater equality.

“There is too much poverty in the region… it is hereditary poverty… Lindeners must aim at equality. Linden is not bush, backward,” President Granger said while pointing out that people who are not equal do not enjoy the same opportunities as others.

“I want the new Town Council to think hard about equality,” the President said.

He told the gathering that nobody in Linden should be poor.

“Linden is the capital (of all regions)…. We have to make Linden strong,” he added, while stressing the importance of education in the process.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo, in encouraging the residents of Linden to vote in their numbers on Friday for the Coalition, said the elections is not only representative of democracy but a demonstration of confidence in the people.

He said there are persons who have been telling the international community that Guyana is ill prepared for LGE. He said Guyana’s history has always been one where the people of the country have been told they are not ready.

ABOUT CONFIDENCE
“We’ve always been told we were never ready… tell them this important elections on Friday is about confidence. This is not only about those candidates… it is about the decision you made last year.”

The Prime Minister noted that the non-holding of LGE is no fault of the people and said that for 46 years “we didn’t trust our people with grassroots politics… this election is much more than local power, it is about empowering ourselves.”

He called on Lindeners to reaffirm their show of confidence in the APNU-AFC coalition party, contending that they “are loyal, faithful, committed fighters”.

Prime Minister Nagamootoo said that like General Elections, the hosting of LGE every three years, as is constitutionally mandated, provides the people with the right to remove office holders if they do not serve in the interest of the people.

The Prime Minister noted that overseas-based Guyanese will want to return to Guyana and it is the responsibility of those elected via LGE to “welcome them with open arms”.

Nagamootoo stressed that it is critical that conditions are created in communities that will encourage people to stay.

“…Make our towns a haven,” the Prime Minister charged Lindeners.
Meanwhile, Attorney-General and Minister of Legal Affairs Basil Williams told the residents that by voting for APNU-AFC, it would concretise the endless possibilities that exist in the region.

“Local Government Elections will enable you to make decisions for yourself… it is important for us to give you this good life we promised… these elections are to give you a better life… better housing, roads, drainage, water supply,” he said.

Williams also called on residents to empower themselves, noting that Government will lend a hand by providing subventions.

“This Government is serious about you,” Williams added.

Also present at the public event were Minister of Social Cohesion Amna Ally, Minister with responsibility for Housing Valarie Patterson and the wife of Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo, Mrs Sita Nagamootoo.