Guyana’s ‘Year of democratic renewal’ dawns on 1st January 2015.

Guyanese in 2015 will have an opportunity to choose a new government in the forthcoming general and regional elections. The choices facing the nation are clear.

Our choice will be between the inauguration of a ‘government of national unity’ proposed by A Partnership for National Unity on the one hand or a continuation of the ‘winner-takes-all’ approach adopted by the People’s Progressive Party Civic administration on the other hand.

Our choice will be between electing APNU’s multi-party partnership and perpetuating the PPP’s one-party dictatorship.

Our choice will be between inclusionary democracy and one-party dictatorship. Our choice will be between electing new councillors in fresh municipal and local government elections or enduring further incapacitating central government control of our towns and neighbourhoods.

Guyanese, far too frequently in 2014, have had to protest against the People’s Progressive Party Civic administration’s dictatorial prorogation of Parliament and its refusal to hold local government elections. We have had to demand investigations into police torture. We have had to demand regular and reliable electricity supply in hinterland centres such as Bartica, Lethem and Mahdia. We have had to demand the payment of ‘living’ wages for our working people, improved schools for our children, enhanced social protection for senior citizens and safer roads for everyone.

We have had to bear the brunt of the high rate of crime including armed robberies, arson, inter-personal violence, murder, piracy, rapes, fatal road accidents and trafficking in persons. We have suffered most from the high cost of living, high level of unemployment and high rate of migration. These have all taken a toll on our families and our quality of life.
We deserve a society in which we could look forward to living in safety, to working for ‘living wages’ to cope with the cost of living and to enjoying adequate social protection in our old age.

2015 must be a ‘Year of democratic renewal.’ APNU is prepared to participate with political and social partners in a government of national unity to make this a reality. Such a government will aim at improving educational standards for our children, providing jobs for our young people, protecting our women and girl children from criminal violence and ensuring the country is safe for all.

Let us vote to remove the PPP from office, install a government of national unity and work together towards providing “a good life for all Guyanese.”
My best wishes for a happy new year to everyone!

(1st January, 2015)

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