Berbice is being transformed - PPP/C Presidential Candidate

The People’s Progressive Party has always enjoyed overwhelming support from Berbice, Region Six and this was clearly reflected in the large turn-out at the PPP/C’s public meetings at Adelphi, Canje and New Amsterdam on August 16.

Addressing supporters PPP/C Presidential Candidate Bharrat Jagdeo told them that that “With your support, enthusiasm and love that is demonstrated for the PPP/C over the years, nothing can stop us on August 28.” Mr. Jagdeo told supporters that there are several small political Parties contesting the Elections with the aim of weakening the PPP/C’s support base. “They know the PNC [People’s National Congress] can’t win our votes so they have lots of small parties…their objective is that each would take a little vote from the PPP/C, so we would fall below 50 percent votes at the Elections,” he said. This he further explained, would prevent the PPP/C from having the majority of seats in the National Assembly and by extension, the Party would be forced to form a coalition Government. He recalled that in 1964 the PNC and the United Force formed a coalition government which ousted the PPP from Office for 28 years.

Mr. Jagdeo maintains that the Opposition parties’ plans and promises in this 2006 Elections campaign are all extracts of plans being implemented by his Administration, which was restored to Office through free and fair Elections in 1992. Plans afoot for the region include cheaper electricity through a hydropower project, expansion of the sugar industry, resurfacing of the road from New Amsterdam to Moleson Creek and the construction of the Berbice River Bridge, which would be completed within 14 months.

“We are spending US$230M on three projects only in this region, US$40M to bridge the Berbice River, US$30M for the road from New Amsterdam to Moleson Creek and the rest on the sugar factory at Skeldon. That is $6B being spent right here in this region. And this does not include the many other projects we are doing. In a few years time you would not even recognise Berbice. it would be transformed,” he said.

In this context, he asked that they turn out on August 28 to place their Xs next to the symbol of the PPP/C, the Cup on polling day, which would see the Party being given another chance to continue the progress.

The PPP/C is committed to another term of hard work and improving the lives of Guyanese and that is why the Presidential Candidate sought a partnership with Berbicians residents as the PPP/C seeks to be returned to Office. This was met with loud cheers and fervent pledges of support on polling day when the PPP/C will contest the General and Regional Elections with nine other Parties.

He urged that Guyanese judge the PPP/C by its record in Office, which proudly boasts significant progress in the education and health-care delivery, as well as in the areas of housing and water, the productive sectors and the economy. “I know some of you still have problems and we understand these, but please look at how we handled them in the context of what we were left with as a country,” he told the crowd. Mr. Jagdeo explained that Guyana inherited a foreign debt of more than US$2B and has repaid about US$1.1B. Additionally, through debt relief and debt repayments, government has managed to reduce the debt servicing to less than 20 percent as against the 94 percent it inherited from the PNC administration.

Touching an issue dear to Berbice, sugar, the Presidential Candidate committed to continuous struggle to save the industry because of its importance to the country’s revenue, employment for people and development. He told them of detailed plans to modernize the sugar industry, including a US$164M modernization project at the Skeldon Sugar Factory.

He also spoke extensively about progress in the health sector, in contrast to the dilapidated hospitals and dark days under the former regime. He noted that the current administration is modernizing the health sector through improved services, infrastructure and training for medical personnel. Students are also benefiting from hundreds of scholarships. Mr. Jagdeo told them that new hospitals would be built in Regions One, Nine and Ten, while a new hospital was recently completed at New Amsterdam. Additionally, with help from the Cuban Government, Guyana would have four new diagnostic and treatment centres and an Ophthalmology Centre in the Region that would treat 27 ailments of the eye.

This progressive trend, he maintained, is evident in every sector across the country, including education and housing. Under the PPP/C government 70,000 houselots were distributed since 1992, in comparison to the PNC not distributing a single lot to Guyanese during the last 11 of its 28-year dictatorship that ended in 1992. “This is why we ask you to vote for us on August 28,” he urged.

Mr. Jagdeo confirmed that there is still a long road to travel to attain a desired level of progress in Guyana and pledged his government’s support in that journey. However, he noted that the task will be fruitless unless the people are involved and that is why they should fully participate in the electoral process and have their voices heard.

“If you ask me: are we finished as yet, I would say no! We still have to ensure that everyone who deserves a house lot gets one, and every child has access to secondary education and modern health care. We still have to ensure that the remaining 20 percent of our population have access to potable water and our schools are fixed and sea defences etc…” he said.

Adeplhi, a traditional stronghold of the PPP/C, was well decorated bearing the Party’s colours, yellow, red and black and posters of its Presidential Candidate and Prime Ministerial Candidate Samuel Hinds. Moving to the rhythms of the PPP/C campaign songs, supporters recalled the dark days under the PNC and the colonial masters when the sugar industry was dealt some severe blows and its workers were treated harshly. In those days, many of them were not given the right to vote, since persons could have only voted if they were literate or owned property. Many of the sugar workers could not afford education; hence they were denied the right to vote. This right was given by the PPP (through adult suffrage in 1953) government and according to Mr. Jagdeo “that is why we appreciate freedom. We have to say to them that we would never again go back to those days.”

He noted that the PPP/C competitors are uneasy with the high level of support the Party is receiving from areas that traditionally did not support the PPP/C. One such example is the large turn-out at the PPP/C Rally held in Linden last Saturday, which was attended by more than 3,000 persons from Region Ten. “They are worried about seeing us in the large numbers… they are getting the shock of their lives,” he said.

Propagating his Party’s message of oneness and unification, the Candidate who is current President of Guyana, called on the people to spread the message in their communities. He reaffirmed the Party’s confidence that it will not only secure enough votes to win the Presidency, but to capture the majority in the National Assembly. The PPP/C’s campaign is largely based on its defence of the working class people of all races and culture and Mr. Jagdeo urged his supporters to understand that they are not voting for a government that would support any one group, but one that would support every Guyanese regardless of his/her political affiliation or ethnic group.

Meanwhile, at New Amsterdam, Mr. Jagdeo noted that the main Opposition People’s National Congress Reform One Guyana (PNCR 1G) supporters are destroying the PPP/C flags and posters throughout the country and continues to bully persons supporting the ruling party.

“But don’t worry, posters and flag don’t win Elections. People do and when it is them and the ballot papers alone, I know they would vote with their hearts and that is for the PPP/C. The PNCR is still to realise that the days of thuggery are gone. Our people would not be bullied anymore,” he said.

August 18, 2006

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