PPP launches manifesto

– outlines way forward for more diverse, modern, competitive economy

The People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) on Saturday unveiled its 2011 elections manifesto, outlining the way forward to achieve a more diversified, modern, competitive and resilient economy in the next five years.

Amongst the many initiatives the party said it will complete are the development of hydroelectricity, a new fibre optic cable and the construction of a deep-water harbour, an all- weather road to Brazil and a bridge to Suriname.

PPP/C presidential candidate Donald Ramotar addressing the gathering at the launch of the party’s elections manifesto on Saturday

“Our investments in hydropower and other alternative forms of energy will reduce our dependence of fossil fuels, insulate us from exogenous shocks in the energy markets, slash our fuel import bill, foster clean energy development and, more importantly, provide a cheap and assured source of energy to both households and manufacturers. This will catalyse the manufacturing sector and create thousands of jobs for our people,” the party general secretary and presidential candidate Donald Ramotar stated in the manifesto.

He said the party’s information and communication technology strategy envisages linking every family, business and village of Guyana with each other and with the wider world while revolutionising the way we do things. Every Guyanese will benefit under this strategy, Ramotar noted.

“This is why we are committed to ensuring that there is a computer for every family in Guyana. A deep-water harbour will allow for larger vessels to come use our ports and allow us to exploit our geographical positioning as the gateway to South America. When the all-weather road to Brazil is completed, Guyana will become a major hub for trade between South America and the rest of the world.

“We will further deepen the process of integration on the continent through the construction of a bridge across the Corentyne River thereby providing a direct link between Guyana and Suriname.

Some of those who attended the fundraising dinner

“These major projects will be complemented by a commitment to continue to provide an environment that is conducive to investment by harnessing the unquestionable entrepreneurship of our people,” the PPP presidential candidate explained.

He said equal attention will be paid to workers who are the bedrock of the country’s economic activities.

“We hope to work closely with the labour movement so as to protect and advance the interests of workers in an environment that guarantees the personal safety of every citizen. My objective is to work with all stakeholders to promote unity of the labour movement.

“Over the next five years, we commit to ensuring that all Guyanese, regardless of race, religion or gender continue to benefit from the programmes that we propose to implement. The People’s Progressive Party/ Civic is committed to building a country in which no one feels disenfranchised from development.

“Development, we believe should touch each person in all aspects of their life. As such, our manifesto also aims at reinforcing the solid ties of solidarity amongst all of our peoples with particular concern for the vulnerable, including our children, the elderly and indigent.

“Development for us is an all-encompassing process and while over the years significant progress has been made in deepening and entrenching an inclusive constitutional democracy, the PPP/ C remains open to working with all stakeholders, including political parties, civil society and labour,” he said.

“The PPP/ C administration has, over the past 19 years, demonstrated the capacity to lead Guyana along the road to progress and prosperity,” Ramotar said, pointing out that its record stands testimony to this fact. Nineteen years ago, he said, the party inherited a bankrupt economy, tattered infrastructure, deteriorated social services and a pervasive sense of hopelessness amongst Guyanese.

He said it was not an easy task given the constraints that Guyana faced, but buoyed by the confidence reposed in the party by the people of Guyana through successive electoral victories in 1992, 1997, 2001 and 2006, the party and government have demonstrated their remarkable capacity to usher in critical and wide-ranging development for all the people of Guyana.

“Our accomplishments have led to a solid platform from which we can further catapult Guyana’s economic development.

In this regard, the programmes that we will be pursuing, if elected to government, are aimed at elevating Guyana’s development to another level, one that would see us creating a new economy that would allow for more rapid and significant development whilst taking care of the needs of all our people, particularly the poor and vulnerable,” he said.