Overwhelming support from East Coast at Good Hope Rally

Thousands of People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) supporters gathered this evening to show support to their President and Prime Ministerial Candidates and the Party at the largest PPP/C Rally during the 2006 Elections campaign held at Good Hope, East Coast Demerara.

The crowd, numbered an estimated 25,000, loudly cheered as Presidential Candidate Bharrat Jagdeo expressed confidence that the PPP/C will overwhelmingly win the 2006 Elections and more importantly, secure outstanding victories in the Regions which were traditionally controlled by the Opposition, including Region Four.

“We are going to take Region Four for the first time ever and the victory we secure this Elections, would be the biggest ever in the history of Guyana,” he told jubilant supporters.

This empathic statement 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.

“It is important that you understand how far we have come as a country and what it is that we are struggling for. We are not just trying to win the Elections, but we are struggling to secure the freedom in this country. So its not just another victory, but rather maintaining the freedom so that the next generation would have a better life than we did,” he said, referring to the numerous hardships experienced under colonialism and later the Opposition party, the People’s National Congress.

“We have achieved a lot…but it came at a cost. It did not happen easily. We did it with the PNC fighting us down and a run-down country that we inherited from the PNC,” he said.

According to the Presidential Candidate, it is not only the victory at the National Elections that is at stake but that of the Regional Elections, since the PPP/C is working hard to win control of the Regional Democratic Council in Region Four. He noted that the Main Opposition People’s National Congress Reform, now PNCR-One Guyana has historically controlled governance of the region’s affairs and in that trend, villages where majority of PPP/C supporters live have been neglected.

“The only time we would win though is when you all turn out on August 28 and vote correctly,” he said.

He urged the older citizens to educate the first-time voters and the illiterate to ensure that they place their X twice on the ballot paper within the box that is next to the PPP/C’s symbol, the Cup. He expressed confidence that the East Coast Demerara residents would brave the fear being instilled by criminals causing terror and rise to the challenge on polling day and turn out in their numbers to vote.

He noted that the PNCR can no longer use its ‘bullying’ tactics, since people are no longer afraid or being threatened. Propagating his Party’s message of bringing people together, the Presidential 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.

“They come with different messages: one for the bottom house and one for the platform. At the platform they talk national issues and at the bottom house race. But we have one message and that is bringing people together,” he said.

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 12 percent as against the 94 percent it inherited from the PNC administration.

“You have to understand that we made those progress with our hands tied behind our backs. That is why it is so significant because we did it in difficulties,” he said.

 

The President pointed to many developments within the country in the education, health and economic sectors. 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 to that journey. However, he noted that the task is fruitless unless the people are involved and that is why they should fully participate in the electoral process and have their voices heard. Many of the Opposition Parties, he cautioned, are not piloting original ideas, but rather their plans are extracts from the concrete plans the PPP/C has outlined in the past, many of which are being implemented.

Speaking about plans for the country within the next term, Mr. Jagdeo alluded to the 2006 Elections manifesto, which “speaks about the future of this country.”

The PPP/C government proposes to spend $1.5B to train 25,000 young people, $100M on sports development, vast improvements for the social sector, $1.5B on hinterland road links and complete ongoing major projects in the productive sector.

PPP/C Prime Ministerial Candidate Samuel Hinds urged supporters to ensure that the Opposition does not have another chance to instill fear in people who are desirous of supporting the PPP/C. He spoke directly to persons who did not vote for the PPP/C at the last Elections.

“We last for 14 years and we’ll be here for another term…we are a party for prosperity, but the prosperity must be sustainable that is why the people who are on the fences overlooking should vote for us…no one loses when the PPP/C wins,” he said to loud applause.

He remarked that under the PPP/C there has been progress in every industry including bauxite, rice, sugar, fisheries, fuel and most of all, living standards. He revealed that in 1991 Guyana was classified as one of the poorest countries in the hemisphere with more than 86 percent of its people living in poverty. The figure has come down to just over 30 percent.

“It was a recovery we started in 1992 when we took Office. We need your support so we can increase your benefits in the next term in Office, following August 28,” he said.

PPP/C General Secretary Donald Ramotar cautioned supporters against the Opposition campaigns to try and link government to criminality and drug lords and noted that the Opposition would resort to such ploys since it cannot fault the PPP/C on its policies and programmes. He urged supporters to place their X next to the cup on polling day to ensure that the Opposition is not given a chance to return to Office.

Moses Nagamotto who returned to the Party and spoke at the Rally, was given a grand welcome, after which he remarked, “a son never leaves the home of his father and that father is Cheddi Jagan. We have differences and quarrels in the Party but we come back home,” he said, chastising the former PPP/C member Kemraj Ramjattan who has now co-founded another Party.

Meanwhile, young political and PPP/C Candidate Robert Persaud had the crowd roaring with shouts of victory as he sought to weaken his opponents’ platforms. “The choice we make on August 28 would determine the future of this country, comrades, do you want Bharrat Jagdeo?” he queried.

This was met with overwhelming support.

Also addressing the large rally were other candidates, including Bernard DeSantos, Anil Nandalall, Indra Chandarpal and Frank Anthony.

August 20, 2006

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