The ruling PPP/C upped the ante for local government elections with two rallies yesterday, one in South Georgetown and the other in Kitty, as its General Secretary Bharrat Jagdeo, assured city residents that central government will support their councillors should the party win City Hall.
Prime Minister Mark Phillips also joined with Jagdeo at the meetings last night and pledged government’s commitment to developing and transforming the city.
“There is one reason I came here tonight [last night] and that is to look every one of you in your faces, every single person here and say to you the promises made by our candidates have the full of support of the People’s Progressive Party,” Jagdeo proclaimed to loud cheers from the gathering in South Georgetown.
Candidates from South and North Georgetown constituencies outlined plans which included curbing flooding, ensuring neighbourhood trees are trimmed and disposed of, efficient garbage pickup, and the cleanup of Le Repentir cemetery.
Throughout the meetings the plea was made to supporters and constituents to go out to the polls on June 12 and vote for the party. The PPP/C is aiming to create history by winning a majority of seats on the city council, which has traditionally been held by the opposition PNCR/APNU.
Jagdeo noted that the promises listed in their manifesto for the city are “doable” and he has personally vetted them.
He told those gathered at the meetings that a vote for the party is a vote ensuring they see development in the city.
“You are voting for a party that is about pro-gress… a party with a track record of achievement, enormous credibility in fulfilling promises… a party that has fierce love for this country and progress… we have to take this city from the APNU,” a geed up Jagdeo told supporters.
He added that the APNU-led opposition has nothing to offer the people of Georgetown and in that case they will only make promises they cannot deliver. Jagdeo accused APNU of spewing lies to their supporters on the campaign trail, “creating a smokescreen” to hide the fact that they have nothing to deliver.
“They believe that people will believe them but this is a different time and with social media people are exposed…” he added.
Phillips, as he sought to convince voters to give their support to the PPP/C said that the 57 years of leadership by the PNC/ APNU has run the city into state of ruin, moving it from the Garden City to a ‘garbage city’.
He stated that over the years, the PNCR-led council took citizens for granted and failed to deliver any kind of service that would have transformed their lives or the city.
“They have failed the people and they have nothing that they can show… the city went downhill under their leadership and Georgetown became a public convenience and… political tool” Phillips underscored just before emphasising to the crowd the importance of voting next Monday for his party.
At the Kitty meeting, he said that the government wants all citizens to benefit from the vast amount of developmental and transformative projects being conceptualised. However, for that to occur, they must have a council that is willing and prepared to work with central government.
“It is disheartening that the council has refused to work with government… we need a leadership that is ready to work with us and ensure the benefits are passed to the citizens… Georgetown must benefit and not be used to play politics,” the Prime Minister iterated.
The People’s Progres-sive Party/Civic has launched an extensive campaign targeting strongholds of the opposition across the country.
Jagdeo had said that while they have curated a list of candidates able to lead and work with government, the appearance of key central government officials on stage at community meetings serves to cement the support they will be giving to the councils when they secure a win.
Fed up
Former Mayor and Can-didate on the party’s Proportional Representa-tion list, Patricia Chase-Green, told supporters that she threw her support behind the PPP/C in a bid to secure progress and development for her constituency.
She said the opposition can accuse her of being corrupt over the implementation of the highly controversial parking meters scheme but noted she alone cannot shoulder the blame as the then APNU+AFC coalition government supported and guided the deal. She stated that she received support from the then Attorney General Basil Williams, and Minister of Communities Ronald Bulkan, and others, to implement the project.
“All of them helped me with that … I didn’t wake up one working day and say parking meters in Georgetown… they all sat in cabinet and decided on it because the bylaws had to be signed…,” she asserted as a member of the crowd shouted, “tell them Auntie Pat tell them!”
Chase-Green, who is currently a councillor at the Mayor and City Council as part of the APNU team stressed that the management of the council is in disarray as they have not been able to meet since April due to the lack of a quorum. APNU, which holds majority of seats in council, she stressed, cannot command their councillors to attend meetings resulting in several cancellation of statutory meetings.
She stressed too that she has been removed from sub committees at council as those in leadership do not want her input and advice on pressing matters.
The council she added has been spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on legal fees to fend off legal actions.
“For the past five years they have spent more money on legal fees than the council has spent in its 55 years… they have all lost it,” she said.
Noting that she recognised the poor performance within the leadership of the council and with it sinking, she made the conscious decision to jump ship and has no apologies for it.
“If ‘patwa’ from water bottom come a tap and tell you ‘hourrie’ get fever believe am,” she said to rousing cheers as she urged citizens of south Georgetown throw their support behind the PPP/C on June 12.
Current sitting councillor and fellow crossover candidate, Trichria Richards, also encouraged citizens to vote in support of the PPP/C. She said they have seen significant changes and development within a short span and they will continue to see much more development in their community if they vote for the party.
