…promises more jobs, deep-water harbour
People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Presidential Candidate, Dr Irfaan Ali guaranteed the residents of the East Berbice-Corentyne region a deep-water harbour if he becomes President following the March 2 General and Regional Elections.
Ali was at the time speaking at the party’s second rally held at Albion on Sunday which saw a massive crowd gathered to listen to their leaders as the party continues its campaign to win the Government.
The crowd reportedly stretched along the Albion Public Road as far as Williamsburg and was described as one of the largest gathering in history at a political rally in Region Six.
“We are going to initiate the massive transformational initiative of a deep-water harbour in Region Six. We got the real plans, these are the real plans that will take the country forward,” Ali said to rousing applause.
The presidential hopeful based his presentation on the lack of jobs for Guyanese especially Berbicians.
The issue, he noted has become a major one since the David Granger-led A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Government closed two sugar estates in the region, leaving thousands without an alternative plan.
Ali said that the Government placed the sugar workers on the breadline which created a ripple effect and crushed the region’s economy.
“Today your pockets are lighter because this Government has stolen from your pockets. This Government placed you and many Guyanese on the breadline. They created a disaster for many families especially here in Region Six and come March 2 we will fix this. How are we going fix it?” he questioned.
“By voting PPP/C,” the crowd responded.
He accused the Government of having a morbid obsession with former President Bharrat Jagdeo and his role in the PPP/C. However, he informed that Jagdeo will be a part of the next PPP/C Government, explaining that he brings a wealth of experience and has the skill set to advance the developmental agenda of the party.
“One of the most important things is the creation of jobs. It is to ensure that our people here and all across Guyana has access to jobs. Jobs that pays well. Jobs that can sustain your family. Jobs that can increase the welfare of communities,” he said.
He promised to invest in a knowledge-based economy which would see information communication technologies taking centre stage in advancing Guyana. He went on to state that these new advancements would create a spinoff of new opportunities in every sector.
With Region Six being an agricultural region, the presidential hopeful laid out what he described as a rapid developmental plan for the advancement of the sector. He explained that under a PPP/C Government they would be reducing the input costs to farmers. He noted that since 2015 the costs have risen mainly because the Government continues to implement taxation measures which cripple the farmers.
Under his Government, if elected, Ali promised new jobs in various sectors which would all be intertwined with the agriculture sector. He said that it is now his mission to see Region Six not only become the breadbasket of Guyana but the Caribbean and even further afield.
The massive crowd from all over Guyana expressed their support for the candidacy of Ali and his running mate Brigadier (ret’d) Mark Phillips.
Speaking directly to some of the issues affecting farmers, particularly rice farmers, Ali noted that when he speaks of support to the ailing rice industry he means that he has a plan. Alluding to comments made by President Granger that rice is a Private Sector issue and not Government even after campaigning on increased prices for paddy for rice farmers, Ali expressed that it is not all talk in his camp and that rice is a Government issue, adding that rice farmers deserve better treatment.
“When we say support for rice industry, we are not talking about just reversal of taxes but we are talking about plans to open new markets, extension services, increase in yield and increased profitability. We say it is important for the economy of Guyana and rice is the Government’s business and rice are the people’s business and a PPP/C Government will ensure we support this sector.
“We are talking mainstreaming agriculture in the national life. We are talking about all the important sectors. The productive sector as well as the new sectors. Agriculture has an important part to play and we will invest to ensure we improve agriculture,” Ali outlined.
He noted that investments would also be made in livestock and fisheries by the introduction of new technological support as well as infrastructure. He did not stop there, Ali said that his Government will be using the oil and gas opportunities to their advantage by creating spinoff sectors in tourism and manufacturing among others.
“Berbice is going to benefit from all of these sectors. We have a clarity of vision as to where and how these opportunities will be created.”
Ali told supporters that by the end of his first term as President he will ensure that every Guyanese student attending the University of Guyana would do so tuition-free.
“We will expand the scholarship programme to 20,000 scholarships per year. We are going to work on a pathway to get students with existing loans written off and we have outlined that in our manifesto. We will ensure a healthy population by fixing primary health care institutions…we will put more money in your pockets,” he said.
“We will help the Private Sector to become more energetic and create opportunities and jobs in our country. We are going to build community roads and ensure 100 per cent coverage of treated water in Region Six. We will ensure that there is better drainage and irrigation in the region. We will work on bridging the Corentyne River as well,” Ali added.
PM Candidate
Meanwhile, Ali’s Prime Ministerial Candidate, former Army Chief of Staff, Phillips hit back at the criticism coming from the APNU/AFC camp.
Phillips took time to single out APNU/AFC’s Joseph Harmon who recently told supporters that Phillips was ‘Black tokenism’ of the PPP/C.
“The PPP/C have a proven track record of development from 1992 when we restored democracy to 2015 when we demitted office. The PPP/C will ensure all Guyanese regardless of race, religion or political affiliation will benefit from the progress after our victory. The coalition is desperate and running scared. Joe Harmon refer to me as African or Black tokenism on PPP list. If you to follow Harmon’s reasoning then he is saying that all Africans on coalition is Black tokenism. We in PPP lead by example and don’t just speak about racial harmony. Check our list of candidates, it is a truly national list. It is a truly winning list,” Phillips declared.
Phillips said he brings to the fore over 36 years of defence and security experience to make Guyana better. He noted that he has a plan to reform the security sector so that Berbicians and Guyanese as a whole can feel much safer.
“They have about five Brigadiers, Admirals and Commissioner of Police with them and this one Brigadier come out of retirement and joined the PPP/C and they running scared…” he declared.
He noted that the PPP/C Government of which he will be a part has a plan for the crime situation that is plaguing Berbicians. He went on to note that the crime rate is high and Police capacity is low throughout Guyana and that needs to be fixed.
He noted that they will equip and improve the operational efficiency of the Guyana Police Force as well as the effectiveness of the Community Policing Groups.
Phillips went on to say that Region Six has a role to ensure food security in Guyana so that the country does not only depend on oil and gas to improve the economy. He noted that the PPP/C manifesto outlines the five-year plan to improve every sector that was destroyed by the current Administration.
“We will pursue a policy of land allocation reform in this region. We will explore climate-smart agriculture and technological support; we will improve farm to market roads and improve prices. We believe in quality health care for all Guyanese so we will put an end to drug shortage and upgrade and expand health services in Guyana. We will improve conditions of work and services for public health workers,” Phillips outlined.
Like his running mate, Phillips also spoke about the lack of jobs in the region and throughout Guyana. He noted that this lack of opportunity is one of the major contributing factors of the high crime rate in Guyana.
“Jobs is a big concern. We have to replicate the Port Mourant Training School model throughout Guyana. Crime will decrease if more youth will be given job opportunities,” the Brigadier noted.
“Today we have economic mismanagement and health care is worsening…since the No-Confidence Motion in December 2018, the coalition Government has shown scant regard for our Constitution and rule of law. They tried to make fools of us with fancy mathematics but we are not fools. We should have this General and Regional Elections long before now. It was a hard and uphill struggle to get to this point. This election is about restoring rule of law in Guyana, it is about restoring democracy,” Phillips added as he roused the crowd.
