The Peoples Progressive Party (PPP) will keep its promises to the people of Guyana.
That assurance was made by the Party’s Presidential candidate Irfaan Ali on Saturday in Berbice.
The Presidential Candidate was on an introductory meeting to Berbicians at Port Mourant when he rubbished comments made by Business Minister Dominic Gaskin and Prime Minister Mosses Nagamootoo who have both lashed out at utterances made by the 38-year-old Presidential Candidate over the past week.
“The PPP has a track record of delivering on its promises,” he told the thousands assembled at the Train Line Dam, Port Mourant.
He had previously promised that when he is elected as President, 50,000 new jobs all across this country will be generated under the PPP.
Gaskin had questioned the statement saying, “He should also explain to the Guyanese people whether these 50,000 new jobs are for Guyanese people.”
On Saturday, Ali spoke of several promises which the Coalition had made while on the campaign trail in 2015. Among them were the creation of jobs, opportunities for young people and that they were not going to close sugar estates.
On the contrary to those promises, in Region Six two sugar Estates have been closed while many youths have been looking to government to open up opportunities for them as President David Granger has on numerous occasions said since taking up the Presidency, “Don’t look to Government to provide jobs for you…”
Ali said the PPP is a Party for all Guyanese. “We will reopen the sugar estates, so that there will be more disposable income. That is a promise that I am making to you and you know that the PPP has a track record of keeping its promises. We are not like ‘This Government’, that makes a promise and then go and do the opposite. What did they tell the sugar workers? What did they tell the rice farmers? The Public Servants were given some promises and the Government has now distanced itself from those promises.”
“Comrades you will see a government that will develop specials policies and programs that will deal directly to the problems of every Region. Just like we implemented a special bill that brought in incentives for investment in Region Ten, we will bring special bills and legislation and implement policies that will create incentives for businesses to invest in Region Six so that we can create new jobs and new opportunities here in Region Six.”
Ali promised a positive turn around in the economy of Region Six as the new Government takes office.
However, he reminded that this will only be so if persons go out to the polls and oust the current coalition Administration.
“All this government has done is to take away from the people. They have brought on over 200 new taxes and new fees that have affected your ability to purchase; your ability to participate in the economy because you simply do not have the disposable income,” he said.
“Taxes have been increased and included on water, education and medical supplies,” the Presidential Candidate said, while noting that the fees to lease government land have gone up by 1200 per cent.
Criticizing government for closing the sugar estate, Ali noted that sugar is much more that a financial statement.
“We are in the process of developing our manifesto, and you know comrades when the Peoples Progressive Party promises you something in our manifesto, we stick by that promise and we fulfill that promise and that is why the first thing that we are saying to you is that we are going to reopen the sugar estates in Region Six.”
Ali added that compensation will be given to those families that were destroyed and felt the blunt of the closure of the estates.
“We must and we will do it. We had told the Government that they cannot make a decision about sugar without a social and economy study because sugar is linked to every aspect of life in some Regions.”
In Region Six he noted many businesses are closing their doors while others are downsizing because persons lost their jobs in the sugar industry.
“People have lost their income so how is it that they are going to shop in the stores, supermarkets and markets.”
The drainage and irrigation system is linked to the sugar industry. With the closure of the Skeldon Estate, rice and cash crop farmers on the Corentyne are being affected because irrigation and drainage. Those systems are becoming clogged.
The sugar industry also supported the educational aspiration of persons, the health care system, the national Insurance Scheme, taxes and was linked to businesses and also supported them.
“The industry supported auxiliary services like mechanical engineering as well as gave support to private cane farmers. The industry supported a system that brought economic benefits to all of Region Six.”
