PPP/C “will not sleep” until it wins next election – Opposition Leader
– Party mounts massive outreach exercises in Regions 5, 6
The People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) has vowed not to sleep nor slumber until it wins the next
Former President Bharrat Jagdeo
Regional and General Elections slated for 2020 but will work extensively to consolidate its ranks and expose the double standards and mounting acts of discrimination by the current A Partnership for National Unity and Alliance for Change (APNU/AFC) Government. This is the position of former President and current Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo who joined a high-level team of PPP/C leaders who on Monday fanned out on a three-day long extensive outreach exercise in Regions Five and Six. Over 47 planned meetings will be held to discuss a myriad of political and party matters, along with governance issues. Those meetings will specifically focus on the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), how the Opposition will be approaching Government on major issues in Guyana and Local Government Elections (LGE). Jagdeo started off his tour with meetings at Canfield and Adelphi in East Canje, Berbice, and then closed the first day with a meeting with residents of Chesney village, Corentyne. Jagdeo, addressing several traditional ‘bottom house’ community meetings, explained that the Party would also be using its “stint” in Opposition to plan and execute a comprehensive strategy for regaining executive power following its recent loss at the recently held May 11 Regional and General Elections. The Opposition Leader emphasised that the PPP and its leaders has had to console hundreds of party members who became worried following the election results, as well as many who wanted to give up hope, given their experiences in the past. Jagdeo remarked that the period for weeping is over and it was time to put “backs to wheels” and join the Party in the struggle to regain power. “We are going to use this period to consolidate and assess what went wrong and figure out what needs to be changed so as to strengthen the party to reconnect with grass root supporters”, he vowed.
Residents rally around Jagdeo As the meetings commenced, there was excitement and heightened expectations in Region Six as Jagdeo and others addressed packed bottom houses and meeting centres as residents rallied around them. Some residents said that since the new Government came to power, they felt discriminated against given the statements made by Ministers, regional party executives and supporters of the APNU/AFC fold. Others expressed feelings of insecurity as they are being judged on race or party affiliation as Government embarks on a programme to cleanse the Public Service of people it does not believe supports it. Many have also expressed concern over Government’s approach towards issues of benefit to the citizens. Pensioners have expressed concern that after three months in office, the new Administration has removed their electricity and water subsidies and is only offering them a $3000 increase in pension despite promising to double it as soon as the party entered office if they were to win the election. Residents said that the uniform allowance for school children has been increased by $500 but Government has taken away the $10,000 allowance which was issued last year for transportation. Jagdeo addressing that issue specifically said that the previous Administration took a decision to give parents $10,000 per child in the first year. “Each year we will add $10,000 so in year five you will end up with $50,000 per child attending school in a household. So every child would get $50,000 per year, they did not increase it but instead they took it away.” One of the major concerns was the slowing pace of the economy which has almost ground at a standstill. Jagdeo explained that the current state of the economy is because of the $19 billion which was cut from the National Budget between 2012 and 2014. “That is money that could have entered into circulation and created tons of jobs that would have had a multiplying effect on economic activates; they do not understand the concept of flow of money.” He said that a call centre which was built by the PPP/C Administration and established in Linden – which is a stronghold of the current Administration – was recently closed, laying off 90 persons. “Now the bauxite industry has started laying off, and if we are not careful in the Berbice River; because they have threatened the bauxite people… the companies could pull out and 750 families will be on the breadline.” Jagdeo said the PPP/C is willing to sit down with Government and discuss ways to deal with Venezuela’s threat of claiming a part of the Essequibo. “I made it clear on border issues where our sovereignty is threatened… that the Government will have our full support. We are patriots; we don’t want to see this country divided. We will fight against any attempt to destroy our territorial wholeness. We pursue this fight vigorously.” Addressing the issue of Local Government Elections, the former Head of State said the PPP/C is prepared for it and since the PPP/C won seven of the 10n regions at the May 11 Elections, is will be looking to winning 60 of the 71 constituencies. “We can sweep Berbice, we can do it, it is an important step in our fight to take the Government in three or five year’s time.” He furthers explained that it will be three years if they win the elections petition and five years if they lose and elections are constitutionally due. As it relates to GECOM, the Opposition Leader said the party will continue to push to have its Chairman resign.
