PPP Presidential Candidate Irfaan Ali yesterday encouraged Guyanese to be inspired by the legacy of the late President Janet Jagan.
Speaking at a wreath laying ceremony for the 10th death anniversary of the former President at the Babu John cemetery yesterday, Ali said that the “national leader” was fearless and patient in her fight for workers’ rights and political freedom.
He encouraged those gathered to refer to her legacy and be inspired, “to recommit ourselves in the present struggle, and the struggle today is one in which our parliamentary democracy is at risk, our national democracy is at risk and our electoral freedom is at stake and these are fundamental aspects of a society that is free, of a society that represents the interests and rights of everyone.”
According to Ali, Jagan had qualities which are needed today. He said that one of those was consciousness of the environment and circumstances she lived in and was surrounded by, she took “bold steps and bold decisions in confronting the inadequacies of that environment.” He said in those days, being a woman would have required a very special effort from her in her fight.
“But today in our country we are confronted with similar circumstances, we are confronted with circumstances that requires from all of us bold decisions, commitment and a strong sense of consciousness otherwise all that Comrade Janet and Comrade Cheddi and the PPP would have fought for can be lost,” he said.
Additionally, Ali said, Jagan exhibited great patience and referencing the no-confidence cases in the court, he urged them to remain patient. “Sometimes we just need to take a step back and we have to reflect and think of the situation. What we have to understand is that the ruling of the Court of Appeal gives us another opportunity to recommit ourselves, another opportunity to re-energise ourselves and it gives us another opportunity to strengthen ourselves that will eventually lead, very shortly (to) the return of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic to government,” he said.
Citing Jagan again, he also urged fearlessness. “We have to be fearless in confronting the challenges and I think comrades that in being fearless we cannot be reckless, so when we have our protests we don’t promote violence, we don’t promote loose behaviour, we don’t promote attacks on the business community, we protest peacefully and that has also been the tradition of the PPP/C,” he asserted.
In criticising the APNU+AFC government, Ali highlighted economic challenges being experienced. Among other things, he said that persons are afraid to turn on their water taps because of the high cost of water. “Families have seen between 25 per cent to 45 per cent increase in their water bills. This is the reality,” he highlighted.
Ali further claimed that since gaining office, the APNU+AFC government has only been about themselves and very little about the citizens of Guyana.
“That is why after four years in government, they realised that they have not tried even to meet the needs of the people so they had a big event at the Square of the Revolution bringing governance to the people, and guess what they consider bringing governance to the people? The ministers sitting in an AC tent with their fancy office chairs and the people in long lines in the hot sun waiting to see them and that is bringing governance to the people,” he said.
“Real governance to the people is when the entire Cabinet leave their offices and go to the regions in Cabinet outreaches, walk the pastures, walk the grounds, feel the pain and understand the circumstances in which people are living,” Ali said.
