– Ali promises to invest in community
– outlines strategic plan to provide jobs on East Bank corridor

PRESIDENTIAL Candidate of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), Irfaan Ali, said should the PPP/C be elected to Government come March 2, 2020, it would invest in communities along the East Bank of Demerara (EBD) and create much-needed jobs.
At the time, Ali was delivering the keynote address during the PPP/C rally in Herstelling, EBD on Friday.

Noting that the EBD corridor is going to be a strategic location for development, Ali said the PPP/C will construct a highway from Diamond to the Eugene F. Correia International Airport in Ogle, East Coast Demerara (EBD) – a project already initiated by the A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC) coalition.

According to the PPP/C presidential candidate, the multimillion-dollar project will see employment skyrocketing for youths in the area, since many hands will be needed during the construction phase of the highway.

Additionally, Ali noted that the PPP/C will also invest in the housing sector to provide better and affordable housing for residents on the EBD corridor. “We are going to work with the [commercial] banks and work with the construction sector to ensure that you have affordable homes, that you have homes that you could afford, homes that the government will support in ensuring that you have low interest rate and ensuring that the cost of the house lot is affordable and subsidized by the government,” the former Housing Minister told the residents.

He said the PPP/C’s plans will reduce the cost of living for residents, provide jobs and enhance the quality of life for not only those on the East Bank corridor but for every Guyanese.

“I want to assure you that after March the 2nd, we are going to re-invest in the housing sector to bring and ensure that every single one of you, every single Guyanese fulfils their aspirations of owning their own homes,” he said.

The former Housing Minister noted that the party will not only give residents house lots but will also seek to provide even more jobs by collaborating with the private sector.
“We are not only going to give you house lots, this is a promise by the People’s Progressive Party/Civic; we will be supporting partnership with the private sector, partnership with the financial institution, we will be removing the VAT on building materials, we will be opening up manufacturing opportunities, industrial opportunities, wear housing and logistics,” Ali told the gathering.

Ali told supporters at the rally that the PPP/C will open lands to give residents a chance to build and expand businesses. “We will be opening up land so you could expand your businesses and get jobs right here on the East Bank, we are going to ensure we build sustainable communities, communities that will provide you not only with a housing, but where you will have social economic issues sorted out in these housing schemes,” he stated.

Ali further stated that should the PPP/C be re-elected, it will work along with the private sector to make the East Bank corridor a tourism hub, by constructing hotels in the area. “I assure you, [you] will see more hotels, you will see more job opportunities as a result of the investment of more hotels, right here on the East Bank, but we have to ensure that when we allocate land for warehousing, mechanic shops, woodworking. We have to ensure that you– the people– also benefit from those allocations,” Ali told the gathering.
He was among speakers that addressed the PPP/C supporters last Friday in Herstelling.