Jagdeo reiterates call for unity and development

Leader of the Opposition Bharrat Jagdeo on Saturday attended a Christmas party for elderly citizens of Better Hope, East Coast Demerara, where he emphasised the importance of unity in building the country and fostering development.  According to Jagdeo, the Christmas season is representative of the country’s ability to unite for a common reason.

Leader of the Opposition Bharrat Jagdeo interacting with the elderly residents of Better Hope, ECD, after the Christmas party

“It is a good thing to bring our people together and especially at this time of the year when our country celebrates what should have been a good year but also the festive season,” Jagdeo stated, as he posited that the Christmas season plays an important part in showing how the entire nation can unite in celebrating one holiday, despite religious differences. This, he said, represents one of the principles of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP). “It is so good that we live in a country where although we may be of different races and different religions, we can come together and celebrate events that may not belong to our religion or our history, but have become national. Normally, Christmas is a Christian event but from childhood every Guyanese child has grown up celebrating this… and this is how it should be in a country like ours that has people of all races and religions. Our Party, the PPP, has always sought from its inception when Cheddi Jagan started it to bring people together, not to divide them because if our country comes together we can make progress,” Jagdeo stated.
He related that Guyana’s culture is one of diversity, positing that we must cherish and maintain our culture. “If our country comes together, we can make progress,” Jagdeo explained, adding “What I’m very worried about now is I’ve seen some worrying things, that once again after we have emerged from that period from when division was the order of the day and our Party sought to bring people together and to work on their behalf right across Guyana so all of our people can make progress, once again, we have seen the ugly signs of division.”
He posited that this division is being stirred up by the Government’s intervention into areas beyond their jurisdiction. Jagdeo was at the time citing the recent conflict over a decision taken by Government to alter the date which a Hindu festival was to be celebrated. He stated that Government should focus on uniting the country and bringing people together. “We need a Government to encourage that, not to judge people on the basis of their race, or their religion and gender,” he stated. Jagdeo declared that his Party has a desire to see Guyana united, and amalgamate for the development of the country. “This is the kind of country that we want… this is the kind of country that we will struggle for. We will never give up hope on that kind of country,” he reiterated.
In closing the address, he encouraged each person present at the event to work towards achieving that unity, as it is the duty of every citizen. The event which saw one hundred elderly citizens in attendance catered for over 500. Each of the elderly was treated to lunch and a gift hamper. The event was a joint initiative between local donors and the Better Hope Diaspora. The organisers expressed their hope that the initiative would be improved and continued throughout the years through the cooperation of all the stakeholders involved.