Number 64 village told… Dr Jagan’s dreams for Guyanese are being realised – President Ramotar says Guyana has greater potential By Vanessa Narine
NUMBER 64 Village, Corentyne, last evening, sounded in no uncertain terms its support for the party of the people, the party of the Jagans, now led by President Donald Ramotar – the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C).
And the PPP/C presidential candidate made it clear that the realisation of the dreams of the founder of the party and former president, Dr Cheddi Jagan, is clear for all to see – it is unmistakably evidenced.
He stressed that there is much more to be done to build Guyana – an endeavour seen in economic prosperity and in the social sectors – and improve the lives of all the Guyanese people, even as he detailed the successes made in moving the country forward under successive PPP/C administrations.
“On Monday you will decide on what direction our country will go. You will decide if we continue on our forward march or if we slip backwards…elections are about records and where we stand, about character and about plans and policies to move forward,” the President said.
Going forward, according to him, we will be guided by strategic plans that will see investment in Guyana’s human capital, in the Guyanese people, to position them to take advantage of new frontiers of growth, investments and other advances.
“When we are re-elected, every single child who leaves primary school will go to secondary school…we are the only country in the world that takes the expense of educating young Guyanese from their parents…we give them books, uniforms…that is following the dreams of Cheddi Jagan,” Mr Ramotar said.
He stated that “investments in Guyanese people” have paid off as shown by the results of the Caribbean Examination Council (CXC) assessments, which Guyanese students are topping, bringing home most of the regional awards.
Guyana’s housing advances, the President said, have become a regional model with countries such as Antigua seeking Guyana’s support in answering questions to housing concerns of their own.
“We have plans, we have moved our country from…and we believe that we can take our country to a higher level,” the PPP/C presidential candidate said.
CLEAR ROADMAP
The President stated that the roadmap to fully realise the dreams of Dr Jagan and realise the potential of Guyana is outlined in the PPP/ C manifesto – ‘Guyana 2.0’.
According to him, growth, job creation, generation of wealth, boosting of the manufacturing sector, tourism and Information Communication and Technology (ICT), among other sectors; as well as a focus on food and energy security are plans that will be bolstered by quintessential transformational infrastructural projects.
Among those listed are the Specialty Hospital, Amaila Falls Hydropower Project, the expansion of the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA), bridges across the Corentyne and Demerara Rivers and a deep-water Habour at the mouth of the Berbice River.
“We need a deep-water habour…we will be able to earn more. We will be able to import goods in higher quantities and bring down costs…it will allow us to become a maritime hub…it will allow us to create more employment for our people, earn money for our country and for our people,” Mr Ramotar said.
NOT NEGLECTED
He added that the traditional sectors have not been neglected and hundreds of Number 64 village residents, many of whom depend on the agricultural sector, were told of the PPP/C’s commitment to the sector.
“I have no doubt that Skeldon will still be a flagship of the industry…the industry needs more support to be restructured, Mr Ramotar said, adding that there are many new challenges that need to be addressed via mechanisation, among other undertakings.
India’s support for the sugar industry was also underscored by the PPP/ C presidential candidate.
“We want to move our industry from being just a producer of raw sugar…we want to make the industry more flexible…the industry needs assistance and when re-elected we will invest $20B to ensure that the industry thrives,” he said, highlighting expansion of co-generation initiatives, packaged sugar, expanded production of ethanol, specialised forms of sugar for industrial uses, the establishment of a distillery and the production of refined sugar.
“These are dreams of Dr Cheddi Jagan,” Mr Ramotar said.
He added that the rice sector, which has seen phenomenal successes in the past few years, will also benefit from the commitment of a PPP/C Government. “We are looking at value added [production] in our rice sector…this is the direction we have to go, add value and cut costs and our farmers will have better prices…we also must use new technology,” he said.
In line with this vision, Guyana 2.0 is touted as an interconnected plan – a development thrust that will ensure growth on all fronts, supported by infrastructural advances, which will in turn see the generation of wealth, which will then support efforts to advance better quality of living for the Guyanese people. “We can do these things and they will catapult Guyana to a higher level of development,” he said.
DEVELOPMENT UNDER THREAT
These plans, he said, to consolidate and build on the many successes made in the last two decades are under threat by the political Opposition.
A Partnership for National Unity and the Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC), according to him, has not taken “constructive and patriotic” positions.
“In the last three years, it has been bad…everything they have blocked. They even cut $89B from the national budget,” he said.
Positions the political Opposition has taken in the National Assembly, for example, on matters such as the environmental tax, have exposed Guyana to other dangers, Mr Ramotar said.
“We had to go to the Parliament to change the law…as a result we lost a case in court and the Caribbean Court of Justice awarded US$6M to the company…the Opposition set out to damage the welfare of Guyana…they deliberately set out to damage this country…they have not stood on the side of the people,” he said, also pointing to the position Guyana was placed in because of the non-passage of the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) (Amendment) Bill.
The flip-flopping by APNU+AFC on sugar, renewable energy and a number of other initiatives was also underscored by him.
Success, a clear road map for the future, the PPP/C commitment to the Guyanese people and to the country matched against the dangers that APNU+AFC represents is what must be considered ahead of May 11.
“On May 11, I ask you to stand with us,” President Ramotar urged.
In addition to the PPP/C presidential candidate, party members Hydar Ally, Dr Ashni Singh and Bijulee Moti also addressed the sizeable gathering.
Yesterday’s public meeting was among several held across Region 6 (East Berbice/Corentyne) and along the coast, and marks the homestretch appeals ahead of Monday’s General and Regional elections.
