Businessman Clinton Urling

– Urling tells Reg 3 rally

By Alexis Rodney

Newly-minted People’s Progressive Party/Civic Candidate Clinton Urling has warned citizens not to gamble with their future by electing the People’s National Congress (PNC)-led A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) coalition to run the affairs of this country.

He said that the PPP/C has transformed the economy here and was the only party with the right policies to take Guyana forward. The businessman and former Chairman of the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) made the remarks when he mounted the PPP/C‘s platform at its Stewartville rally on Sunday afternoon.

Urling, who said he had not before supported any of the political bodies here, noted that the Party which fought dictatorship had also transformed the economy. “Make no mistakes, in our everyday lives, we all have to make money before we can spend it. We have to make the right decisions today so that we can prosper tomorrow,” the German’s Restaurant owner said.

According to him, running a government is no different, noting that the right people have to be in place to deliver the right policies which will create opportunities that will make the lives of its citizens better.

He urged supporters not to gamble their economic future on any party that did not have the country’s best interest at heart. “The PPP/C Government has created the opportunities today so that our economy can prosper tomorrow and I have the firm conviction that we are the best party to guarantee your economic success and advancement five, ten, fifteen years from now.”

He said the Party did not only “talk success on empty promises”, but has a 23-year record of success. “Today we say no. No one can question the economic credentials of our Minister of Finance, Dr Ashni Singh, and former President Bharrat Jagdeo who now heads the National Economic Council.”

Touching on the Party’s List of Candidates, Urling said it has a rich cadre of persons who were capable of contributing to the economic development of the country. Noting the likes of Dr Mahender Sharma, Badree Persaud, Dr Rajendra Singh, Peter Ramsaroop and himself, Urling said they all “know a thing or two about running a business and the economy, having served in the highest level of leadership in the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Private Sector Commission.

He reflected again on what he described as a “cut and paste manifesto”, presented by the APNU/AFC, which he said was a far cry from what was presented by his party on Saturday. “We must choose forward, we must choose progress and growth, we must choose President Donald Ramotar on May 11,” he said to a cheering crowd of approximately 20,000.

PNC’s record

Also speaking at the rally was Head of the Presidential Secretariat and Cabinet Secretary, Dr Roger Luncheon. His message focused on the track record of the PNC. “We are saying to the world that we are proud Guyanese and we are proud of our country and we are not ashamed as we were through the years of the PNC dictatorship. We are proud today and we will move forward and be proud and prouder under the PPP/C,” Dr Luncheon said.

He continued: “We are saying to Guyana, Guyanese and the world, under the PPP, it is forward ever, backward never … and when we return after May 11, it will be time to celebrate the most crushing defeat that the PNC ever had. We will say to the PNC, never again.”