People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Presidential Candidate Dr Irfaan Ali on Sunday promised a new wave of wealth and prosperity for Region 10 (Upper Demerara Berbice), if he is elected to serve as President of Guyana.
“I want you to understand that in the People’s Progressive Party/Civic, we have a plan that will take you to prosperity. We have a plan that will ensure you benefit from the development pie of our country,” Ali told scores of supporters at a rally at Lieu Ken Pen Square, Linden.
He then asked Lindeners to examine and evaluate the issues they currently face within their lives and their communities and to ask themselves if their lives are better off as of 2015. This was met with an assertive “no” from hundreds of persons in the audience. The response was the same as the Presidential Candidate asked if Government has added a single new house lot, health centre, or scholarship programme to the region since it came into power.
“Let us be clear that since 2015, Region 10 stood still,” Ali said.
He also pointed to the 30,000 jobs lost countrywide within the past five years as well as the $10,000 cash grant for students, which he noted was snatched away by the Government.
He promised that the PPP/C will restore and increase the grant to $50,000 per child and create 50,000 jobs, from which the region will also benefit.
Ali outlined that in the PPP/C manifesto, there is a clear strategy pertaining to how oil and gas will benefit the people of the country.
“You have heard a lot about oil and gas. They come and it’s the only thing they talk about, but have you received any training as yet to work in this sector? Have they brought to you a plan as to how Region 10 will benefit from oil and gas? Have they outlined to you a strategy of how your lives will be improved? No, because they don’t have one…We have to ensure we invest in Human Resources by giving you the necessary skills…by ensuring we equip the technical institute to function in the new economy and provide the training that is relevant to give you the job opportunities in the oil and gas sector and the new economy,” Ali said.
He noted further that the development of the region has to be linked with the holistic development of the country. Ali added that the strategy will ensure that the people are equipped to be part of the future of the country in not only job creation but through entrepreneurship so that they can build companies which will benefit from the spin-off of the oil sector.
“Here in Region 10, there will be many opportunities in the logistics sector. There will be opportunities in shipping, containerised traffic, we will create a hub facility here in Region 10 that will generate thousands of new jobs – a new economic life, bringing new wealth and a new wave of prosperity for the people of Region 10,” Ali said.
