The MV Kanawan at the Supenaam Stelling

The Head of State, in a recent interview with the National Communications Network highlighted the fact that the addition of the two roll-on, roll-off ferries plying the route from Parika to the main Essequibo islands of Wakenaam, Leguan, Hogg Island and Supenaam, have vastly improved the comfort and safety of passengers. He said that it is due to the unreliability of the previously used ferries that the speed boat services came about.

 “...now with the ferry, the traffic is much heavier as the capacity of the ferry is much more than before. The comfort is much better now, and the time (travel) has been dramatically reduced”.

Anna Regina road

The use of aircraft has also improved over the years, with many, especially business operators, utilising this mode of transportation, more frequently. This, President Ramotar noted, has been as a direct result of the expansion and upgrading of the Ogle Airport, along with growth of the local aviation sector.

Government has also invested much towards improving roads in the region, the president pointed out. He recalled travelling from Parika to Adventure on the Essequibo coast, then to the village of Cotton Field and, “It took you more than two hours, particularly, in rainy weather it was worse to get there.”

But now travelling from Supenaam to Charity is just about an hour the most.  “It has been a quiet revolution”, the president said.

This has facilitated business in a fairly big way, and more people now want to come on the Essequibo Coast, and “contribute very much into improving the quality of life of people, in the country”.

Road at Henrietta, Essequibo

President Ramotar noted, in reference to the upcoming elections, that this activity is about records, thus he is proud of the People’s Progressive Party Civic’s (PPP/C).

“In fact, I think our record is good...they (opposition) are trying to disown a record that they have had before so that shows you that there is really now competition when it comes to records, how we moved things forward”.

Elections are also about plans and programmes and the PPP/C’s manifesto is set to be made public soon, the president reminded. “We have a planned programme to how we will deliver on all our promises that we have made”.

Government has always strived to do what it has set out to accomplish even if it exceeded the initial time-frame, he acknowledged. The Berbice River Bridge was cited as an example, which he noted the PPP/C had listed in its 1992 manifesto. “We were not able to do it in the first term. The second term was a truncated one that we had, but we managed to do it in the third term”.

All of government’s plans have materialised for the most part, the Head of State noted. “In contrast, everything they (opposition) touched was just run down. The whole country was in bankruptcy”. The present administration has a proud record of achievements, he reiterated.

Many of government’s proposals such as those for Amaila Falls Hydro Power and the restructuring of the sugar sector, have apparently now found favour with the political opposition, a turnaround which the president said was an indication the PPP/C’s plans were being copied.

Elections are also about integrity, President Ramotar said, and the fact the opposition is willing to make what he viewed as any promise in the world to get votes, he questioned how can they be trusted.  

“I think we have always been close to our words. We try our best to deliver. We try our best to deliver on all our promises. They have been flip-flopping on several issues including their own past.”