At a massive rally at Bath Settlement, West Berbice yesterday, PPP/C presidential candidate, Donald Ramotar told supporters that he would be ready to listen to the views and ideas of national interest from persons, groups or organizations.
He said, “As long as they think they have ideas I would be ready to listen to them, I would be ready to discuss with them, I would be ready to debate with them and I would be ready to work with them in the interest of Guyana.”
Ramotar said too that, “We have a country to build and to build it we have to have national unity in Guyana.” He said too that the PPP does not discriminate against anyone and that the party was founded on the principle of building “one Guyana consciousness.”
He pledged to continue the programme “of strengthening our institutions, of having better governance… and to ensure that there is never, ever any interference of the judiciary…”
With regards to education, Ramotar boasted that since the PPP was in office it has built more than 1,000 schools in the coastlands and in the interior. He also talked about the progress the country has made at the examination level.
He said too that “APNU is talking about [development in] education” but when the PNC took over in 1964 Guyana had the highest standard of education in the region.
He said too that the PPP built the University of Guyana and that the PNC was opposed to it and had said they would close it down when they won the elections in 1963.
When they left government, he said, only 30% of the children in primary schools could go to a secondary school. The PNC, according to him had to fail 70% of the students because there was no place at the secondary schools for them.
He pointed out that more than 80% of children are now attending secondary schools. He promised that when he becomes president he would make secondary education compulsory for every child because science and technology are playing a greater role in the development of the economy.
His government would strengthen the prisons and have more programmes to reform criminals and return them as useful citizens in society.
It would also provide life skills to the army and police so that “when they retire from the force” they can make a living for themselves and for a prosperous Guyana. On that note, he urged the members of the disciplined forces to vote for the cup today.
Ramotar boasted about the development at the Georgetown Public Hospital which is now performing open heart surgery and now has a cancer ward. He questioned “who would have believed that we now have dialysis machines.”
He also promised to build a modern hospital that would be equipped to handle any surgery that persons had to go abroad for.
In his address, President Bharrat Jagdeo spoke about the progress of the country and said that the road from Brazil would connect a deep water harbour in Berbice, creating a lot of opportunities.
He said a fibre optic cable is being laid from Brazil to Georgetown and one would be laid “from Crabwood Creek to Charity that would connect every school, every hospital, every police station and every government building.”
He said that this would help persons to apply for birth certificates and passports online. The PPP government would also offer online degree programmes, an online library for students would be introduced and the Learning Channel would have interactive learning online.
Jagdeo also said that they are building a road “as long as Parika to the border with Suriname…”
Among the other speakers at the rally that was chaired by Minister of Human Services, Priya Manickchand, were Dr. Leslie Ramsammy, Prime Minister Samuel Hinds, regional chairman of Region Five, Harrinarine Baldeo and General Secretary of the MMA, Aubrey Charles.
There was also live entertainment by the ‘Hitman’ of Trinidad & Tobago who came as a “surprise,” Fiona Singh, Vanilla and calypsonian, ‘Sweet Kendingo,’ backed by the Shakti Strings band.
