President warns… ‘Consider what is at stake’ – ahead of May 11 polls
‘NO rain, storm or thunder’ ought to prevent the Guyanese people from casting a vote – in a General and Regional election where every vote counts – for the incumbent People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C). This was the message that was sounded last evening to a large turnout of supporters, armed with umbrellas and braving the rains, at 10th Street, Foulis, East Coast Demerara where the ruling party held its most recent public campaign meeting.
This little tot was among the many who braved the rains and turned out at the PPP/C’s most recent public meeting
Joining his supporters, the PPP/C presidential candidate and incumbent President Donald Ramotar, mounting a truck, underscored what is at stake, come May 11.
“These elections will determine if our country will go forward or reverse and go backward…we have taken this country a far way, from where it was in ruins…,” President Ramotar told the PPP/C supporters.
Noting that elections is about records, President Ramotar alluded to the abysmal record of the former PNC administration that destroyed this country and making it one of the poorest country in the western hemisphere. Warning that the APNU+AFC is the same PNC, President Ramotar declared: “They changed their name, again, to try to fool you… but comrades, don’t be fooled.”
Mr Ramotar pointed to the successes in education, with new schools and Guyanese students topping regional examinations, as well as in other social programmes advanced by the party.
“We will continue to invest in our people,” he assured.
Mr Ramotar stated too that the political Opposition’s imposition of hardships on the Guyanese people was “deliberate” – the nature of the beast being expressly exposed in the last three years of the 10th Parliament.
“The Opposition is trying constantly to stop progress…they want to make things bad. That is what they want to reduce us to, so this election is about our future and where we want to go,” he said.
The President also chastised the political Opposition’s ‘solution’ to the challenges that face Guyana, for example their call for the sugar industry to be closed and replaced by fish farming, when the European Union (EU) price cuts were brought to bear.
“I am not going to do what the APNU+AFC (A Partnership for National Unity and the Alliance For Change) is saying to do, close sugar and mine tilapia…I am going to put in $20B to ensure that sugar survives and strives,” Mr Ramotar declared.
He also said prudent investments, especially investments in Guyana’s youth, will continue to be made to ensure that Guyanese and, by extension, Guyana is positioned to take advantage of emerging opportunities.
Anil Nandlall addressing the gathering of PPP/C supporters last night at Foulis
These opportunities will be created by advances in renewable and cheap energy, via the Amaila Falls Hydropower Project, and the advances in the oil and gas sector with ExxonMobil presently conducting oil exploration activities.
“Our goal is to make Guyanese the most educated people…we want investments that would take advantage of a highly educated workforce, higher paying jobs…there are huge possibilities; we have to take Guyana forward and we have to put in the infrastructure to ensure we have this,” he said.
On that note, Mr Ramotar detailed the PPP/C vision, ‘Guyana 2.0’, for moving this beautiful country of ours forward.
“We are the party of change…on May 11 we have to face our destiny and I am calling on you to ensure that everyone goes out and vote…remember the faithful cup and put your ‘x’ at the cup and we must win this election with the biggest majority ever,” he urged.
The central themes of ‘Guyana 2.0’ include: Economic Growth: Jobs, Income & Wealth Creation; Transformative Infrastructure; Enhancing the Well-Being of Our People; Fighting Crimes & Protecting Our People; Fair Governance; and Guyana in a Modern World.
“The biggest obstacle to development is the Opposition parties…they are now being very dishonest about it,” the PPP/C Presidential candidate bemoaned.
He also railed into Moses Nagamootoo and Rupert Roopnarine, both now supporters of APNU for the sake of power, after publicly criticising the very party.
“We cannot trust our future, our country’s future, our children’s future, to these people. They have a record of deceit and betrayal. That is the record they want to hide…I want to urge you ‘do not take anything for granted’… you have the power in your hands,” Mr Ramotar said.
Also speaking at the public meeting last evening was Anil Nandlall, who said the people of Foulis were not “dry weather revolutionaries,” but supporters firmly behind the ruling party.
He also highlighted the “empty promises” being made by the political Opposition.
He questioned how promises of increased salaries, pensions and a “whole host of other things” will be paid for, if on the other hand there are also promises of reduced taxes.
“What they are telling you is that we will become a bankrupt country…they did that to us already, using the same policies. You have to tell them that you are an educated people and you will not be fooled,” Nandlall told Foulis residents.
Nandlall stressed that progress, peace and prosperity of Guyana demands a strong, workable and realistic vision.
PPP/C presidential candidate addressing
the large gathering of party supporters
last evening (Delano Williams photos)
“How are they going to do it?” he questioned. According to him, the political Opposition, while it has outlined broad areas of work, has not brought to the Guyanese people a vision for the future.
“When political parties go to the polls they must present to you a record of what they have achieved…let them present to you their record of accomplishment. What have they done for you?” he questioned.
Nandlall also decried the “race appeal” by the political Opposition.
“They cannot campaign on record, principles, achievement, policies or on merit…the only way they can get people to vote for them is to appeal to race, that is what they are doing. Are you going to buy into that propaganda?” the PPP/C member questioned, to which he received a resounding ‘NO’.
Nandlall also cited the positions taken by APNU+AFC in the 10th Parliament and underscored the ‘about turn’ that has been made in recent weeks, with the political Opposition now endorsing support for the sugar sector, monies for the University of Guyana and support for hydropower.
“They keep saying (a lot of thing)…but they must be judged by their actions,” he posited.
Despite the challenges of the PPP/C’s development thrust being thwarted, Nandlall assured, “We will continue to build.”
“On May 11 we cannot barely win. We must win a landslide victory. Never again must we allow our children’s welfare to be exposed by the Opposition. History shows that when PPP is out of Government things go bad…when we are in Government there is progress. That is the history of Guyana.”
Nandlall stated that the excesses of the former People’s National Congress (PNC) administration, which featured rigged elections, intimidation and the handing over of Guyana Defence Force (GDF) weapons to the PNC, must not be repeated.
“These are the people who want to run this country…they have destroyed this country, but they are not satisfied…when they left office we did not have a cent in the treasury….they had nothing to show,” Nandlall said.
Both PPP/C officials, among other speakers last evening, committed and assured supporters of a stable and secure Guyana going forward. -- By Vanessa Narine
