Given the APNU+AFC government’s impressive track record since assuming office in 2015, social activist, Mark Benschop, says the coalition, led by President David Granger, deserves a second term in office.

Benschop, who felt the wrath of the Opposition Peoples Progressive Party (PPP) when that party was in office, told the Guyana Chronicle, on Tuesday, that a number of things are on the table at the 2020 elections, as he noted that, “it is the most important elections in the history of Guyana.” He noted the country’s oil wealth as a critical factor at next year’s polls.
Going back in time, Benschop, who has always been vocal on topical issues, noted that at the 2020 polls, the situation is quite different when compared to 2015.
He said prior to 2015, the country was perforated by deadly drug-lords, extra-judicial killings were frequent, citizens were tortured while political opponents were jailed on ‘trumped-up’ charges.

He added that the judicial system was seen as shamelessly corrupt for the most part, the Guyana Police Force was infested with corrupt ranks from top to the bottom, while some government ministers openly harmed citizens.

Benschop noted that depleted health and education sectors, rampant high seas piracy were among the bleak instances the citizenry faced under the PPP.

He listed numerous other instances which he noted painted a dark picture of Guyana, including attacks on the media and the shutting down of TV stations by the PPP.

“I’m speaking from a position of a victim of the PPP and Bharrat Jagdeo and as a former political prisoner for five years who lived in solitary confinement,” Benschop said, adding that the situation continued under Former President, Donald Ramotar.

He said that with Jagdeo pulling the strings under PPP Presidential candidate Irfaan Ali, Guyana will be in a disastrous state if that party is to return to office.

As he noted Ali’s dismal track record as Housing Minister as well as the 19 charges he faces in the courts, Benschop said that Guyanese should avoid the country being in the hands of individuals whom he said, have destroyed the country and who do not have the best interest of Guyana at heart.

He also spoke of the “birth of many political crusaders and presidential candidates” whom, he noted, suddenly ‘popped out’ of the woodwork.

To this end, he noted the record of these “great pretenders” especially the likes of the Presidential candidate of A New and United Guyana, Ralph Ramkarran.
According to Benschop, Ramkarran has suddenly awakened as a “champion for democracy,” noting that he never showed interest in democracy while he served as Speaker of the National Assembly and as an executive member of the PPP.

Benschop said he has nothing against Ramkarran or any other party member, but he noted that the former speaker is not the ideal person to be President.

He said he has no qualms with small parties but from the bunch he sees, he believes that most of the members have personal axes to grind, they possess no vision and have entered the political race as though it is beauty pageant where they are out to model and parade the stage with no substance.

Benschop said when one takes an objective look at the political scene and the APNU+AFC coalition government’s performance since 2015, while it is not perfect and putting aside the minor glitches largely as a result of poor public relations and a few self-serving officials, topping the list of his admiration for President Granger is the fact that he is not known to be corrupt.

He said that the President never owned wrong doings, he has no record of jailing political opponents and his administration has improved Guyana’s health and education sectors.
Benschop said that Granger’s respect for public servants, his government’s restoration of the rule of law and freedom of speech without intimidation, provocation or physical harm, and the fact that he is a “President of all Guyanese” it is his honest view, that the President deserves a second chance.

The APNU+AFC will launch their campaign on Friday at Durban Park and President Granger is listed as the featured speaker at the event as the multi-party group works towards being re-elected at the March 2, 2020 polls.