URGING Guyanese to stand by him and the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C), incumbent President Mr. Donald Ramotar presented yesterday, at City Hall, what he describes as “The winning list” for the 2015 national elections to the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM). 

“I ask all of you to individually and collectively stand by the PPP/C; to stand by me, and together I’m sure we can make our country realise its dreams of being a developed and strong country,” the President implored enthused supporters gathered outside the party’s Freedom House headquarters.
He added: “I ask you when you leave here to take a resolution; to ensure that you redouble your efforts to work even harder. And we all must work even harder to ensure the direction of our country will be forward, and never again will we allow Guyana to stand still or go backward!”

The scene outside Freedom House yesterday

With an aplomb born of confidence, President Ramotar, who heads his Party’s list of nominees, led thousands of supporters from Freedom House to nomination point, City Hall. There, in the company of Prime Ministerial Candidate, Mrs. Elisabeth Harper and PPP/C General Secretary, Mr. Clement Rohee, as well as their families and other representatives on the Nomination List, he presented the PPP/C’s national top-up and regional lists to Chief Elections Officer, Mr. Keith Lowenfield.
He then turned to his colleagues and said: “We just handed over the winning list to the Elections Commission, and you will see we have a very good list: We have a blend of maturity and youth; we have professional workers; we have housewives and farmers; we have all races on our list. Our list represents this country in every way; we have a fully balanced list, and I am sure that list is going to take us to victory. And as far as I know, we are the only party that has as its Prime Ministerial Candidate a woman of substance in Elisabeth Harper.”

CAMPAIGN TO INTENSIFY

Back at Freedom House after the die had been cast, he told Party supporters gathered there that the PPP/C fully intends to intensify its campaign.
“Our campaign will be a very positive campaign,” he said. “We want to win back the majority in the National Assembly, and I think we have a very good programme to do so.”
He then proceeded to list as being among the many positives achieved under the current administration the fact that Guyanese students have consistently succeeded in topping the Caribbean Region at CSEC in the last ten years. “Our investment has been in our people; we are the only country in the Region where more than 30 per cent of our budget goes to the social sector: For education, health, housing, water, old age pension, $10,000 per child in school, assistance for university students,” the President said, adding that the Government also provides text books and other ancillary support to the education sector, such as school feeding programmes for children to stay in school.
He couldn’t help but observe that these successes of which he spoke are in spite of the Political Opposition sabotaging the development efforts of the Government at every turn over the past three years.
As to the challenges, the President readily identified as being among them the airport expansion project and the hydro-power project, saying, “And that is why I promise you that when we win the elections on May 11, the Amaila Hydro-power project will be very high on our agenda, because we need to grow, not by four-and-a-half and 5 per cent.
He went on to say: “Impressive as that is when you take into consideration the Opposition’s anti-development thrust and the international economic development, we will grow by 10 and 12 per cent per annum when we get cheap electricity in our country.”

PARTY PLANS
Speaking of his Party’s future plans, President Ramotar said that high on the agenda is creating investment opportunities and jobs, as well as a highly skilled and capable workforce.
Those plans also include improving the quality of life of the populace; securing more markets for rice farmers; spending at least $20B to keep the sugar industry afloat; building the promised Specialty Hospital; expanding the Cheddi Jagan International Airport; continuously improving the country’s infrastructure; supporting farmers; and creating a stable and progressive economic environment.
Added to the impressive list of to-dos is the redoubling of efforts to capitalise on the local tourism sector by improving the relevant infrastructure.

President Donald Ramotar addressing thousands of PPP/C supporters outside Freedom House yesterday

“This election is about jobs for the people of our country; better health services. It’s about better and more housing for our people, to solve the housing problem once and for all,” he said.
When asked about his Government’s plans to establish a dedicated unit to fight corruption, President Ramotar said: “We have always been fighting corruption; we have been the ones that established all the systems. When we got into the Government, there was no system to fight corruption; no bidding system. The Auditor-General was not allowed to audit Government’s accounts; there was absolutely no transparency in Government. We have established those systems. So what we are doing now is a continuation of what we started a long time ago. We have nothing to hide; we are ready to take any measure to stamp out corruption in our country.”

HARPER WEIGHS IN
Adding her voice to the call for continued progress under the PPP/C, Prime Ministerial Candidate, Mrs. Harper said the candidates will work with the people to ensure that the majority in the National Assembly is restored to the PPP/C.
She expressed confidence in the list of names presented yesterday, adding that “the second ‘P’ in the PPP, ‘Progressive’, will have been written again yesterday, because it shows that the list which was presented is an inclusive one. “It is a visionary list; it shows that we have people that will represent your Party and your Government; your country across the spectrum…women, young people,” she said, adding that the ‘C’ component of the Party’s moniker is for ‘Continuity’.
Addressing the exuberant crowd at Freedom House after the presentation of the List, Party General Secretary, Mr. Clement Rohee thanked supporters for their continued solidarity, saying: “At every election since 1957, the people have been confidently behind us because we stand for Peace; we stand for Progress; and we stand for Prosperity. You must leave no stone unturned; every single day from today we must mobilise; we must energise; and we must get our people out to make sure that on May 11, they vote resoundingly for the PPP. Every one of us has a stake in the future.”
Echoing similar sentiments, Culture, Youth and Sports Minister Dr. Frank Anthony noted that the PPP/C is a people’s party, and has been with the people through “ups and downs” working for the betterment of Guyana.