A KALEIDOSCOPIC montage of reds, black and yellows coloured what is the largest crowd that has gathered in support of the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C), which took its campaign to Albion, Region 6, yesterday.And the tangible energy that sounded along the Albion Estate Road was bolstered when the party’s presidential candidate, Donald Ramotar, took to the platform.

His message, tailored for Region 6, was clear: Berbice is on the verge of bigger and better things, the deep water harbour at the mouth of the Berbice River being one of many initiatives envisioned for the region.
Last month, Guyana moved a step closer to the realisation of this vision, with the inking of an agreement for a preliminary study on the Berbice River estuary. The study is a follow-up on a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) entered between the Government of Guyana and the Chinese State Construction Engineering Company (Latin American and Caribbean).
The ruling party’s leadership also detailed 23-point plan of other initiatives for Region 6, which form part of its five-year plan going forward.
According to Mr. Ramotar, while the political Opposition has been bent on its ‘politics of no’, the PPP/C vision is one that will advance a prosperous and progressive Guyana.
“They have deliberately set out to harm our country and this election will determine if we go forward or go backward…we want to build a modern, prosperous and progressive country to improve the lives of all our people,” he said.
The ruling party’s presidential candidate added that the progress to date is a record of struggle.
“We are on the eve of making history…on this election we want to record the biggest victory ever for the PPP/C. We have every reason to expect a massive victory, because we stand on a record of struggles for the people,” he said.
STRUGGLE FOR GUYANA
Mr. Ramotar highlighted the fact that the PPP/C history and that of progress in Guyana have always been intertwined.
“We led the struggle against the dictatorship of the PNC (People’s National Congress) and the people of this country have achieved the most under the PPP/C…Guyana was not always like this. It was described as an abyss…we have changed that. The PPP/C has changed that,” he said.
He noted too that the last three years have been an uphill battle to ensure that positive changes continue.
“The last three years were not easy years. They were difficult and frustrating years…the Opposition want to stop development from continuing. They want to destroy our nation…never one day did they use their one-seat majority to say we need to do more, no…they only sought to cut and destroy the foundation that we have laid over the years,” he said.
IMPORTANT INDUSTRIES
The incumbent President also addressed an issue that is close to the heart of Berbicians – the future of the sugar industry.
“Sugar is important…it is not only an emotional subject…it has been responsible for all of us being in this country after our fore parents came to work in Guyana….sugar is the grandfather of a lot of industries,” he said.
However, he acknowledged that sugar is faced with challenges, which were worsened by the European Union (EU) price cuts.
“Any other industry in this country would have closed down, but the resilience kept it alive and sugar today needs to be restructured to make it viable and for it to continue making a contribution to development,” Mr. Ramotar said.
The PPP/C presidential candidate touted the commitment of India’s Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, to offer his country’s support to the sugar industry, in technical and financial areas.
Earlier this year, the leaders of the two countries met in India, where President Ramotar held bilateral discussions with Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, and sugar which serves as one of Guyana’s economic pillars, was on the agenda. He also visited Valsad (Gujarat) where there is a very active cooperative sector focused on sugar cane.
“The sugar industry was high on our agenda, because sugar has always been close to the heart of the PPP/C,” Mr. Ramotar assured Berbicians yesterday.
Moving forward, he noted that the industry will move to refined sugar, a refinery, ethanol production and cogeneration of electricity from bagasse, among other undertakings.
“The industry must be a complex…we want to make the industry more flexible…so when price is low we can do more,” the PPP/C presidential candidate said, adding that $20B will be invested in the industry over the next five years.
He said, “We want to ensure that the industry survives and thrives in the future…the best days of sugar are still ahead.”
MORE TO DO
According to President Ramotar, there are many more plans to ensure that Guyana advances.
Information Communication and Technology (ICT), the party’s flagship projects, including the Amaila Falls Hydropower Project (AFHP), more jobs, improvements in education and the other social sectors were all areas mentioned by Mr. Ramotar.
“These are the dreams and the plans we have…the Opposition, however, have shown their cloven hooves, they are anti-development,” he lamented.
The flip-flopping on major issues, such as the Anti-Money Laundering and the Countering of the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) Bill, was also cited as a negative on the part of the political Opposition.
“This is the nature of the people we are dealing with…it is the same old PNC…we have to look at character. We know Elisabeth has character, Nagamootoo does not….they are trying to fool us, but you know what we have and what we have achieved,” Mr. Ramotar said.
Drawing a parallel with the ruling party, he added, “We have a proud record as builders of our society…they coming with a three-card trick to us…Cathy Hughes says if they don’t deliver in five years we can throw them out, but we remember the past and rigged elections.”
On that note, the PPP/C presidential candidate recalled the coalition of 1964 and contended that the coalition between A Partnership for National Unity and the Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) is not that different.
“This is the character of the people who want Government. They don’t want Government to build…they want Government for power…we cannot trust them,” he stressed.
To this end, he underscored the fact that there is much at stake, come May 11.
“We have to protect this country from unscrupulous persons…the PPP/C has always stood with you through thick and thin and been close to you…on May 11, I ask you to stand with the PPP/C and stand with me,” Mr. Ramotar concluded, with what has become his swansong appeal to the Guyanese people.

By Vanessa Narine