A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) returned to the Square of the Revolution with its final rally on Saturday night with renewed confidence of taking the reigns of Government after Monday’s elections.
Predicting that the governing People’s Progressive Party will be whipped at the polls, APNU Presidential Candidate, Aubrey Norton, assured that the Coalition will not turn its back on the people of the country, once in office.
“We will never turn our backs on you and we will do everything to ensure we serve you. We will do everything to ensure we empower you, even if you are a person with disabilities, you can be guaranteed our support. You can be guaranteed that we will do everything to make your life better,” Norton said.
Mr. Norton told the large band of supporters at the rally that an APNU Government will serve the people and remain accessible.
“I will continue to be a humble public servant. I will continue to ensure that you can have access to me as your next president. I have heard the complaints that between 2015 and 2020, many of our ministers many of our ministers weren’t accessible, I am to you now that this new group will make themselves accessible to you, and if per chance, they become in accessible, they would have to find a new job,” he said.
Admitting that the APNU and its then coalition partner made mistakes in the past, Norton said those mistakes are minute, when compared to the actions of the PPP/C Government over the past five years.
“I want to say to you that as a government, between 2015 and 2020, we made mistakes but those mistakes pale in significance when it comes to the PPP incompetence, corruption and divisiveness. We want to see a society in which all Guyanese can live and work together, that is the society we promise you,” he said while adding that APNU serves of the vote of the people.
With widespread allegations of corruption leveled against the incumbent Government, and numerous cases of extra-judicial cases and a number of safe and secure concerns, Norton said there is much work to be done, and APNU is committed to the task. He said the coalition of parties will root out corruption.
He said the coalition’s people centered Manifesto, which was crafted based on discussions with citizens on the ground, is a guide to ensure that Guyanese benefit equally from the country’s resources, including oil and cash.
Meanwhile, APNU Prime Ministerial Candidate, Juretha Fernandes, who spent extensive time on the campaign trail in the hinterland region, said Guyanese residing in the hinterland are plagued by the high cost of living, poor infrastructure, and the absence of basic amenities, and it is time to fix all of that.
“We found in a place called Imbaimadai, in the Upper Mazaruni, we found that it is $5,000 a gallon of gasoline, and $15,000 for a bottle of cooking gas – this is the country under the PPP/C Administration. They cannot help but make sure they dig deep into your pockets by not putting policies in place to remedy these things. I want to tell you that when we went into the hinterland, eggs became Mr Egg because in the hinterland, if you go into Jawalla in the Upper Mazaruni, you will have to pay $180 for one single egg. This is the country we are living in right now,” Fernandes said as she painted a vivid picture of the situation.
Confident of winning Monday’s elections, Fernandes said the APNU will take strategic steps to lower the food prices and reduce the cost of living through a number of fiscal measures including tax breaks.
She said Guyanese must go out and vote, and vote the incumbent government out of office thereby bringing an end to marginalization and discrimination.
Vice Presidential Candidate for the APNU, Ganesh Mahipaul, said after months of campaigning and listening to the people on the ground, the coalition is ready to deliver on commitments made on the campaign trail.
From the proposed increase in Old Aged Pension to $100,000 to an annual cash grant of $120,000 for school-aged children, salary increases for public servants and the raising of the Income Tax Threshold to $400,000, Guyanese, he said, citizens stand to reap tremendous benefits.
“At 18-years-old if you are old enough to vote under the APNU, you will own your own piece of land, and if you earn below $400,000 you will get it free. And don’t forget the rent to own policy; we will build it for you, you will pay just a monthly rent, and when you pay the full cost, it is yours,” Mahipaul added as he rehashed the coalition’s plans one last time.
He said a Coalition Government would strength the ability of small contractors to deliver quality projects, while the temporary workers would be given an opportunity to advance their education and undergo skills development training.
The party is looking to its ground campaign and grassroots supporters as well as new voters and those dissatisfied with the PPP to vote for the party at Monday’s Elections, as it hopes to take the seat of Government.
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