PPP/C presidential and prime ministerial candidates Donald Ramotar and Samuel Hinds wave to supporters at the party’s Linden rally on Sunday
Presidential candidate of the ruling People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Donald Ramotar has announced that Samuel Hinds will be his running mate in the 2011 general and regional elections. Hinds would be the longest serving prime minister in Guyana if the party is returned to power.
The disclosure was made at the party’s third rally, which was held in Linden, the place where Hinds spent most of his work life. “He is a man who has shown tremendous intelligence; he has shown a capacity for hard work; he has shown dedication; he has shown that he is ready and has indicated his desire to continue to work hard on behalf of the people of this country,” Ramotar said of Hinds before naming him.
The crowd of approximately 7000 persons erupted in cheers upon the naming of Hinds as the prime ministerial candidate at the Burnham Drive, Wismar, Linden rally site. “Comrade Sam has given yeoman service to Guyana and he has the energy, he has the desire, and he has the will to continue to serve our country,” Ramotar said of Hinds.
Hinds has been Guyana’s prime minister since the PPP won the 1992 elections. He has served as prime minister for Presidents Dr Cheddi and Janet Jagan and is the current prime minister in outgoing Bharrat Jagdeo’s administration.
Hinds severed as the country’s president for a brief span in 1997 following the death of then president, Janet Jagan in March of 1997. Hinds is also a long-standing member of the party’s civic component.
At the rally, Hinds pointed out that he was skeptical of becoming a politician at first, “but when the opportunity came and the invitation came to join with Dr Jagan and the PPP, I went forward boldly”. Those remarks were made before he was announced as the prime ministerial candidate.
Great possibilities for Linden
In his address to the people of Linden, Hinds said that the PPP/C continues to work to improve Region 10, and in particular, Linden.
The party, he added, has converted the people into “entrepreneurs who could run their own businesses”. Highlighting some of the work that the party has done in the community over the years, Hinds said that the PPP/C government has improved the water system, subsidised electricity making it affordable and more importantly, invested in and recovered a dying bauxite company.
“Comrades, they say that the PPP doesn’t like Linden, doesn’t like black people, but when we think of what we have been doing over these 19 years…. it shows that ” there is no discrimination against Linden and against Afro-people in our country,” said Hinds.
Continuing on the plans for the development of Linden, Ramotar told Lindeners that the community was pivotal in his plans for the development of the country. “Immediately on coming to government, we will negotiate, encourage and press the two bauxite companies that operate here to expand their production, to develop new products to have value-added to our bauxite industry,” Ramotar stressed.
This will lead almost immediately to the creation of more than 1000 jobs in the region, Ramotar added.
Apart for the development in the bauxite sector Region 10 and Linden will be transformed further when it becomes the main terminal for trade between Guyana and Brazil as plans for a deep water harbour will be developed under a Ramotar administration.
The community will also benefit from President Jagdeo’s One Laptop per Family initiative and the fibre-optic cable that is being laid between Guyana and Brazil. “Comrades you know that we have [started laying] the cables, the Internet cables, and it’s coming through here. It will create new possibilities for the people of Region 10 and Linden. It will create possibilities of high level Internet connections, something we do not have at this point in time.” Ramotar said that all these plans create the conditions needed for the community to move to a “higher level”. He then went on to outline his government’s plan to build a new airport, improve the transportation system and generate more tourism possibilities such as health tourism in Guyana. These plans were first revealed at the party’s Kitty rally which was held last Sunday.
Positive energy
Meanwhile, President Bharrat Jagdeo said that he finds pleasure in coming to Linden because of the positive energy of the Region 10 people. The residents have endured a lot of hardship, but have never lost hope, having gone through a lot of hardships in the past. “They are a people who would face those adversities and never give up even in the dark days when things were horrible here.” He said because of the resilience and positive hope of the people of Linden and Region 10, a change for the better is evident in the near future.
“Linden would maintain its rightful place in the progress that is taking place right across Guyana.” Jagdeo also took another swipe at the media, saying operatives at tacked him for “cussing them out” and were upset that plans were afoot to report the media to the United Nations.
