With nine days more to go for the general elections, A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) last evening launched its party’s manifesto in New Amsterdam with promises of reducing poverty.
Without mentioning specifically what was in the manifesto and only unveiling it at the end of the large public meeting, Berbicians were told that more jobs would be provided.
Presidential candidate, David Granger told supporters that they were poor because for 19 years the ruling People’s Progressive Party impoverished them instead of enriching them.
He along with Prime Ministerial candidate Dr. Rupert Roopnaraine urged their supporters not to disrupt the PPP rallies and meetings and not to be violent.
Granger promised that APNU would make East Berbice one of the biggest manufacturing regions in the country.
He said many youths are dropping out of school because of poverty and promised to provide a meal and transportation for them. He also envisaged that “you can be rich and you can be prosperous and APNU would show you how.”
Granger noted that what they want in the country and the region is “real economic development because there is too much hopelessness.”
He also promised to solve the problem of security and mentioned that he and another member visited the fishermen on the Corentyne who continue to suffer piracy. He said the region could be productive if the fishermen are protected.
He said that for 19 years, the PPP could not protect the fishermen “because this government has criminalised Berbice.” He told his supporters too that “you do not want a government that is in bed with criminals.”
“What you need is a government that is going to stamp out criminality… You want a government that can protect your widows and protects your girl children.”
Granger also promised to provide the police with proper equipment, like boats, to go after the pirates and aircrafts “so that they can fly over the long border and protect you, the residents of Berbice. We want you to be safe….”
According to him, the people in Berbice know about crime and suicide but the PPP refuse to deal with them. “We have to restore hope for them,” he said.
The government, he added, “allows contraband to flourish but that same contraband makes a few people rich.”
“But,” he said, “it strangles industries, it strangles manufacturing so if you think you are getting cheap goods… your sons and daughters are losing employment.”
Roopnaraine, in his address, said that it is a disgrace that with all the wealth the country has, people are still living below the poverty line and are struggling to put food on the table.
He said too the PPP has spent $27M on billboards, while “the children are starving.” He too assured the supporters that APNU would put an end to poverty and lift the standard of the people.
PNCR leader Robert Corbin assured the supporters that both the main opposition party and the WPA are “alive and well” in the APNU coalition.
Also speaking at the meeting was Debra Backer as well as University of Guyana lecturer Dr. Rishi Thakur who said that government built the Berbice Bridge out of New Amsterdam because “they want to spite” the residents. He said too that since the bridge was built Berbice has become the trans-shipment point for drugs.
According to him, over the last four months there has been four large drug busts on the Corentyne.
The exuberant crowd was entertained by singing, African and tassa drumming as well as an Indian dance by a young girl from Port Mourant.
