PPP General Secretary Bharrat Jagdeo on Saturday told thousands of Berbicians that the party is on track to taking back power in Guyana.
Speaking at a rally on the Corentyne to introduce PPP presidential candidate Irfaan Ali, Jagdeo urged supporters to “take our country back.” He said that the party has bounced back stronger from its loss in 2015 and the PPP is on track to “taking back power again in Guyana.”
Jagdeo thanked supporters for coming out in their numbers to vote for the PPP at last year’s local government elections and urged them to turn out for upcoming general elections. “If we did it by 46,000 (votes) then, we have to do it by 60,000 now, so there will be no doubt about who won the elections when the ballots are counted and Irfaan Ali is declared the president of Guyana,” he said.
He emphasised that it is important that the PPP win by a massive margin. “Regardless of what we believe in, regardless of our differences, all of us are in one team, the team PPP,” he said while adding that the party has done well for Guyana.
The opposition leader said that he expects the party’s supporters to follow what is happening at the national level and prepare themselves to work hard to “take our country back and return our people to work.”
Speaking on Ali, Jagdeo highlighted his PPP background. “Irfaan grew up in this party, Irfaan Ali embodies what our party stands for and he would carry the flag flying,” he said as the thousands of Berbicians gathered, erupted in cheers.
According to Jagdeo, because of his age, Ali would be able to better relate to young people. He added that Ali – who is facing charges over the allocation of house lots to Cabinet members and other persons in the elite Pradoville 2 Housing Scheme during his tenure as Housing Minister – has managed massive budgets during his time as a minister.
According to the case submission in relation to the charges being faced by Ali, the lots were sold far below market value thereby defrauding the state of millions of dollars. Ali’s academic credentials have also been questioned and though he has promised to provide transcripts, he has not yet done so.
Jagdeo also highlighted Ali’s Cabinet experience. “It’s not just winning elections, it is also delivering to people. Any government that wins an election but can’t create more jobs or housing or healthcare or education or better security people, is a government that will fail. He is an experienced (person) in the Cabinet…I have great faith in him, I have great faith and you should too because he is hardcore and his heart is PPP, he grew up in this party and he will carry our hopes and he has made it clear that this party programme is what will be implemented,” the party leader said.
