GEORGETOWN, Guyana - The ruling People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Sunday officially launched its campaign for the September 1 regional and general elections, promising to continue the socio-economic development plans for transforming Guyana.
Vice President Bharrat looks on as President Irfaan Ali and Prime Minister Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips show off their dancing skills at the launch of the PPP/C election campaign on Sunday.”What we’ve achieved over the last five years is truly remarkable,” President Irfaan Ali told supporters at Alexander Street in Kitty, the capital, Georgetown.
He said that although the plans for the next five years are transformative, no promise will be made that is unrealistic.
”We don’t promise to build castles in the sky. We build schools, hospitals, roads, jobs and homes. We don’t say things to win elections…we do what we say,” he said, as the supporters shouted “five more year, five more years”.
The PPP/C is being challenged by the opposition coalition, A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) that is headed by the main opposition People’s National Congress Reform, (PNCR), the Alliance for Change (AFC) as well as the newly formed We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) that has itself entered into a partnership with the A New and United Guyana (ANUG) party.
Today is nomination day for the elections.
Ali told supporters that apart from the more than 50,000 house lots already allocated to Guyanese from across the country, the future ahead is bright for young people who wish to build a life for themselves.
“That future must be carefully crafted. The future that we are talking about is simple and real, converting powerful dreams that every family holds closely, a home they can call their own, a roof over the heads of every single Guyanese family.”
He also guaranteed that workers will get an increase in their salaries over the next five years and that members of the population will also have the opportunity to invest in financial endeavours that will result in substantial returns as high as 12 per cent.
“We want to expand the income base of every family. You can’t grow prosperity only on salaries. So, we are going to invest in additional forms of income so that you can…invest your resources in projects that are Guyanese-oriented and will give you returns of ten per cent [and] twelve per cent.”
He told the launch that for small and medium-sized enterprises, the government is committed to providing zero-interest financing and creating an environment for sustainable growth. Difficulties in accessing finance will also be a thing of the past, as the president committed to eliminating the “burdens” associated with banking services.
“Over the next five years, we will reform and modernise our financial sector, so that you can have greater ease in doing business in the banks and across this country. We are going to remove the burdens that you go through at the banks. We have to remove the layers of bureaucracy that sometimes destroy our efficiency at every level.
“I stand here as your humble servant…with the love and confidence of our party, with the love of our supporters…and we are you embodied, to make every life better, every home better, every street better, every community better,” he said.
Meanwhile, Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo dismissed allegations by the opposition that the government had been successful over the past five years because of the revenue earned from the energy sector.
Jagdeo said that oil revenues only covered 37 per cent of the national budget, while the rest of it was generated from other revenues, noting that the previous APNU+AFC coalition administration had spent more than two billion dollars on on government food, health insurance for ministers to go abroad and billions on luxurious vehicles and other perks.
“It’s not oil, stupid. And that’s not for you, that’s for (APNU Leader Aubrey) Norton. It’s good management,” he said, adding “it is good management. That is what we have.”
Jagdeo said that the current administration had waived GUY$80 billion (One Guyana dollar=US$0.004 cents) in fuel subsidies, which prevented Guyanese from having to pay more for water and electricity.
He said the education budget has also increased from GUY$53 billion in 2019 to GUY$185 billion in 2025 and that in the healthcare sector, the PPP has expended billions to improve health facilities nationwide, and is constructing 12 new regional hospitals.
Jagdeo said the administration has spent over $100 billion each year to tackle the high cost of living pressures, acknowledging that while the cost of food and other goods is still high, the government has done everything in its power to limit the impact on ordinary Guyanese.
“Of course, we can’t control the price of bora or squash, but we removed over GUY$80 billion in taxes just so people could catch a break, he said, noting that because of the government’s tax relief measures, everyone from drivers to rice farmers to shopkeepers is saving more every day, whether at the gas pumps, supermarkets, or on their utility bills.
“We chose to spend on education, health care, housing, water, our children, our elderly, farmers, and miners. That’s our priority. You are our priority,” he said, telling supporters that with the elections due on September 1, the ruling party should be judged not by words, but by its actions and by the visible, everyday improvements happening across the country.
