–President Ali says; affirms PPP/C’s commitment to taking Guyana to greater heights
–breaking barriers that hinder the achievement of a unified nation
TODAY, President Dr. Irfaan Ali will unveil the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C)’s bold blueprint which will guide the continued advancement of Guyana and enhance the lives of every Guyanese.
Speaking at a fundraising gala at the Ramada Georgetown Princess Hotel, on the East Bank Demerara, the President told the mammoth audience, with “great clarity”, that the PPP/C will outline how it will position Guyana as a global leader at today’s launch of its election campaign.
“Tomorrow, we’ll begin that journey of outlining, with great, great clarity, the path to national prosperity; the path to building a unified, strong, resilient, sustainable Guyana. A Guyana that we’ll all be proud of, and a Guyana that is not building on the edges of the cliff; a Guyana that is seeking to be the centre of that cliff in our humble way,” President Ali said, adding:
“The next five years is about positioning this country ahead of our competitors; positioning this country ahead of those who are competing against us.”
Today, thousands are expected to gather at the Kitty Market Square in Georgetown as the PPP/C officially launches its campaign under the banner, “Forward Together for a Better Guyana”.
The official launch will be spearheaded by President Ali, his running mate, Prime Minister (ret’d) Brigadier Mark Phillips, and PPP General Secretary and Guyana’s Vice- President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo.
The event is expected to kick off from 15:00 hrs, and will see a plethora of speakers from the party outlining their vision to continue leading Guyana on its rapid developmental trajectory for the next five years.
President Ali spoke extensively on the development that has been taking place throughout the length and breadth of Guyana, and stressed that the PPP/C’s task is not only about development, but breaking every barrier that hinders the achievement of unity.
In that regard, he said that every Guyanese is welcome into the PPP/C family.
He further disclosed that over the past month, the party has been finalising ideas and interacting with wide stakeholder groups.
“Later this week,” President Ali said, “we’ll have the grand consultation, because your views matter; the people’s ideas matter, because we want ownership of this plan. We want every Guyanese to own this plan when we launch it; to feel as if you are part of this plan, because our collective destiny is in this plan.”
He also reminded citizens of how the opposition, throughout history, has blocked development, but urged them to stay the course with the PPP/C.
“There’s no other choice before us but to put this country first. There is no other choice before us but to put our future first; our collective future. There are many things left to be done,” President Ali said.
He went on to say that while he admits that not everything is perfect, the journey towards transformation continues after September 1.
WHAT’S AT STAKE
When it was his turn to take to the podium, Dr. Jagdeo began by reminding the mammoth audience of the dark history of economic catastrophe that the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR), now the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), left the country in.
He noted that it was under the PPP/C’s stewardship that Guyana went from bankruptcy to solvency.
Dr. Jagdeo also pointed to the not-so- distant past, when the APNU and the Alliance For Change (AFC) held office from 2015-2020.
Of particular note, he said, were the more than 300 burdensome taxes and fees, major job losses, and, overall, the hardships that the economy was forced to endure.
He noted, too, that when the PPP/C assumed office in 2020, not only did it keep its promises, but it also did more for the people.
And, giving a preview of what is to come from the PPP/C on Nomination Day tomorrow, Dr. Jagdeo said that when the party launches its slate, youths will be centred in its vision.
The party has prioritised youth involvement, and as a result, the Vice- President said, the youth arm of the PPP, the Progressive Youth Organisation (PYO) has grown to 15,000 strong.
Last year, Dr. Jagdeo had anticipated a growth of 10,000; today, the current 15,000 membership figure far exceeds his expectation, and cements the party’s commitment to being a national movement.
“We go into these elections with a great deal of momentum and energy, and that is why you see the entire Guyana rallying behind the party,” Dr. Jagdeo said. “And we want to make sure that people understand what is at stake. We have a leadership now that is experienced. If you look at the counterparts of those opposed to us, none of them have ever run even a serious enterprise, much less a country.”
Prime Minister Phillips, on the other hand, positioned the PPP/C as not just a political party, but a broad-based national movement that is driving sustainable development and unity.
As such, he called on citizens to stay the course and stand firm against forces of disruption ahead of the September 1 General and Regional Elections.
He said: “Today, the PPP/C is more than a party; more than the PPP and the civic members of the society. It’s a movement, and with every movement; every movement that is positive, in any country, and Guyana is no exception, more and more people are drawn to this movement. It’s the movement that has resulted in five years of sustainable development.”
Phillips stated that the PPP/C is “stronger today than it has ever been in the history of Guyana”, crediting its resilience to continuous support from citizens.
Since taking office in 2020, the tangible accomplishments of the PPP/C government have begun to take shape.
During the critical 2020 elections, the party made a series of pledges to the Guyanese electorate; among them, creating more jobs, eliminating over 300 taxes imposed by the former APNU+AFC administration, restoring the Low-Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS), and advancing the education, housing, and health sectors.
Today, not only have these promises been fulfilled, but the government has gone even further, implementing additional social and economic programmes that continue to transform the lives of citizens across the country.
Additionally, the government has created over 60,000 new jobs, a remarkable achievement when compared to what obtained during the previous administration’s tenure, which was marked by significant job loss.
Another major accomplishment has been the steady increase in wages for public sector workers. The doubling of the old-age pension, and the restoration and expansion of the ‘Because We Care’ cash grant for all schoolchildren, and the restoration of the Joint Services’ bonus are also among other key accomplishments for this government.
The implementation of a comprehensive infrastructure plan, the stimulation of non-oil investments, the rollout of a transformative healthcare agenda, including 12 new hospitals, and the advancement of the LCDS 2030 are additional key achievements of the ruling PPP/C.
The government has also implemented a range of tax cuts and relief measures aimed at improving citizens’ lives.
These include the removal of Value-Added Tax (VAT) on machinery and equipment, water and electricity, data services, hinterland travel, and several other essential goods and services.
There has also been a reduction in personal income tax rates, a doubling of the income tax threshold, tax-free allowances, and the corporate tax has been abolished for private health and education providers to spur development. In the construction industry, there has also been the removal of VAT on a range of materials.
