“We cannot gamble with our future” – Pres. Ali urges Guyanese to reject “experimental leadership”

With the 2025 Regional and General Elections looming, President Dr Irfaan Ali has urged Guyanese voters to choose “stable, committed leadership”, warning against what he calls the risk of entrusting the country’s future to “experimental leadership.”

Speaking during the 77th commemoration of Enmore Martyrs’ Day on Monday, the Guyanese Leader drew a sharp line between his administration’s track record and the failures of the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance for Change (APNU-AFC) Coalition. His message was clear, the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) is not just campaigning on promises, but on delivery, performance, and a vision for national prosperity.

On this point, he reminded the gathering of the $40 billion reinvested into the sugar industry and rehiring of 4,500 sugar workers, introduction of tax relief measures including an income tax threshold raised from $65,000 to $135,000 and free tertiary education and scholarships for nurses and healthcare professionals, among others.

“My dear friends, what we need in the world today and here in Guyana is stable leadership, respectful leadership, strong leadership, committed leadership, not experimental leadership. We cannot gamble with our future. This is the period of consolidation for a better Guyana. It is not a period for experiment. It is a period to consolidate the gains that we have made. It’s a period to build upon the foundation of those gains and lead our country and every single family here in Guyana to full prosperity”.

“We have a clear plan. And yes, in that plan, you will get higher salaries. You will get more homes. You will get more grants. You will get more school support. You will get an increase in the Because We Care grant. Higher old age pension. More tax break. Easier access to vehicle ownership. Housing improvement grant. Yes, you will get all of that. But you will also have your dignity and your honour upheld always under the People’s Progressive Party Civic Government,” President Ali said.

Further, President Ali warned that a return to APNU+AFC leadership would risk reversing hard-fought gains.

“Do not take these things for granted. The last time our Amerindian brothers and sisters took that for granted, they found themselves in a Government that took away almost 3,000 jobs from them, the CSO jobs. The last time sugar workers took that for granted, they took away 7,000 jobs directly from themselves. The last time the rice farmers took that for granted, they presided over almost a third of the rice industry. The last time the miners took that for granted, 60 per cent of their operation was left to idle or decay. The last time the bauxite workers took that for granted, more than 60 per cent of them lost their jobs. The last time Guyana took that for granted, we lost our dignity,” he added.

The 2025 General and Regional Elections is set for September 1, and President Ali has already announced his candidacy for a second term.