PPP-C Presidential Candidate confident Party will be re-elected but not taking this for granted
Presidential Candidate of the People’s Progressive Party Civic-and incumbent President, Bharrat Jagdeo, said that though he is confident that his Party will win the 2006 Elections based on its track record, his Party is not taking this for granted and is continuing to work hard.
The President said this during an interview with Channel 6 of Trinidad & Tobago at State House today.
Responding to a statement by the interviewer that it was ironic that during another interview conducted by the Station with main Opposition Leader, Robert Corbin that he had said that the PPP-C would lose the election based on its track record, Mr. Jagdeo said, “Well, Thank God, it is not Corbin who has the 500,000 votes. If Corbin cast all those votes then we won’t have been in power and there was a time when they cast (for 30 long years) all those votes for us through rigged elections. So I’m thankful about that…that we have a democracy today so that Mr. Corbin can share his view with everyone.”
The President added that in the last five years alone, there were a number of transformations in the country including the construction of the new CARICOM building at Liliendaal, a promise which was made since in the 1970’s; the conclusion of the construction of the new Berbice Bridge; the recently signed hydro-power deal as he alluded to the PNC’s promise of hydropower since in the 1970’s; the breaking of the GT&T monopoly, and the large number of Guyanese who now own land.
“70,000 Guyanese now own a piece of land that they didn’t own when the PNC was in Office, “Mr. Jagdeo pointed out.
Touching on the issue of Narco-trafficking, the Head of State alluded to the recent United States Department Report which noted that the Government of Guyana was not involved in narco-trafficking nor does it prevent prosecutions.
“That’s very clear….but look at track records: It was Mr. Corbin who signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Desi Bouterse from Suriname who is convicted in Holland… a drug-dealer...and Corbin went across there and signed a MOU on the border issue. First of all he made the border matter in Guyana a partisan issue. Burnham and Hoyte never made it partisan. It was always a national issue. It was Corbin who was seen in the Stabroek News in a warm embrace with Oliver Hinckson who was arrested months ago by the Army and police in connection with the missing AK 47’s, “he said.
The PPP-C Presidential Candidate stated that the Opposition Party voted against the Kidnapping Bill and its members were seen visiting Buxton several times mobilizing groups and supporting criminals, especially whenever the Police carried out raids.
“But this is a free country. You can’t arrest people for mobilizing activists/groups,” Mr. Jagdeo said when asked about why no one was arrested in such cases.
The PPP-C Presidential Candidate said he was pleased that so far the Elections period has been going along smoothly.
The President made reference to the development that has taken place in Linden and in Amerindian communities during the PPP-C’s term in Office and the increased support the Party has garnered from those areas.
“Tomorrow, we’re going to the polls and we haven’t seen a single political, violent act. This is unprecedented,” Mr. Jagdeo noted, attributing this to the way the country has moved forward.
He concluded that his Party is predicting a victory since it is the only National Party. He also said that should the Party win the Elections, citizens can expect to see new faces in the Cabinet.
27 th August, 2006
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