Georgetown: “I will send you (President David Granger) to retirement in good stead,” People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Presidential Candidate, Irfaan Ali on Sunday said after he took the stage at his party’s first rally ahead of the March 2, 2020 elections.
Confident of a win at the upcoming elections, Ali at the Kitty, Georgetown campaign launch, said he will send President David Granger into retirement noting that “my mother said to respect your elderly.”
He declared that he will represent all Guyanese, regardless of political affiliation and will work hard for their development.
Ali vowed that if he wins the general elections in March, he would not tolerate incompetent and corrupt ministers and that his administration would obey the laws and Guyana’s constitution.
“I know that I will not be a president that surrounds himself by ministers who are incompetent and corrupt. The qualities and my leadership and the team will be defined by competence, integrity, experience, youth and desire to serve our people and not a privileged cabal that this government is doing now,” he said.
Ali sought to assure Guyanese that he would not be a partisan president and exclude people like David Granger’s A Partnership for National Unity+Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC).
“Today, with your support, I commit to you that I would be a president for all our people, not a president for friends and supporters alone but a president that will work hard everyday for the upliftment of every Guyanese. No Guyanese must be defined by where you live, how you look or what political affiliation you have ,” he said.
Assuring that he would not make empty promises to Guyanese, he said his administration would “rescue Guyana” and that he would comply with Guyana’s constitution and the rule of law.
“I commit to be a President who will have the decency, the decency, the decency to respect the rule of law, uphold the constitution and promote democratic governance,” he said.
The PPP presidential candidate reiterated the need to revive Guyana’s economy by reopening the closed sugar estates, trigger consumer spending, roll back over 200 new and existing taxes to increase spending power, and eventually lower electricity rates by 70 percent through an energy mix of solar, wind and natural gas. He said government would revive plans to construct the Amaila Falls Hydropower station.
Ali said if the PPP wins, his party’s programme of development will see incentives to create 50,000 new jobs for the forestry, mining, petroleum and manufacturing sectors.
Transformative projects, he listed that a PPP administration would pursue, include the construction of the Linden to Lethem Road, a four-way highway from Georgetown to Timehri, a high-span bridge across the Demerara Harbour Bridge, a tax free zone, and the construction of the Del Conte Road from Parika to Goshen.
The PPP says it will land more fibre optic cables and liberalise the telecommunications sector to reduce the cost of mobile data.
Meanwhile, outlining a number of plans to increase disposable income to citizens, Ali said his government will strengthen and expand the country’s economic base, create jobs, promote social justice and access to public service, provide incentives for the forestry and manufacturing sector and reduce electricity cost by 70%.
“We will rescue the sinking ship called Guyana whose captain is sleeping at the wheels,” he added.
Alongside him was PPP Prime Ministerial Candidate, Brigadier Mark Phillips declaring that the party is the best for Guyana.
Phillips who served as a soldier from 1980 and rose to become Chief of Staff at his retirement in 2016, said he brings experience and leadership to the party.
“I will be the next Prime Minister of Guyana. I will be a PM for all Guyanese. Come elections day, with your votes I will find the appropriate job to continue to serve the people of Guyana,” he told thousands of supporters at the Kitty market square.
He said the team approach to nation-building is not new to him as he has led several teams during his time as a soldier and is committed to working together to help ordinary people going forward.
“What has always been important is making a positive change in the lives of others so they can make a positive life in the future,” he said.
The Brigadier said his Government will create an anti-crime and security strategy which will also open the gate to prosperity. Phillips also committed to promote racial harmony and provide equal opportunity for persons.
“Use your vote to send a strong message….vote for development, vote for Guyana,” he told those gathered at the rally.
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