…calls for civil campaign by all political parties
THE ruling People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C)  is reiterating its call for a peaceful and civil election campaign ahead of the 2011 polls slated for later this year.

One of the party’s elections committee officials, Robert Persaud, made this call at a media conference on Monday at the party’s Robb Street Headquarters, where he announced the start of the party’s campaign with a rally at Albion, Corentyne, Berbice.

According to Persaud, the PPP/C is set and ready to hit the campaign trail, and the October 2 Rally will be the first in eight to be held across the country ahead of the polls.

“Along with those eight rallies, we have also planned close to  400 public meetings and grand public meetings in all 10 regions of Guyana, and that will  represent a heightened campaign, which we consider will be a final wave in our ongoing elections campaign,” Persaud explained.

He said while his party is preparing to intensify its campaign, he is urging other political parties contesting the elections to let the campaign be civil and free of any violence.

Persaud, who is also Agriculture Minister in the current administration, urged political parties to endorse the Guyana Elections Commission’s (GECOM) Code of Conduct which the PPP/C has already signed on to.

“We believe, in order to strengthen our democracy, for people’s full participation and for there to be free and fair elections, all of us must conduct ourselves in keeping with the highest standards, and meet the expectations not only of the law, but of our people, in terms of how we portray ourselves during these campaigns, ” the minister added.

Minister Persaud noted that the party’s manifesto will be ready soon, adding that “we are in the process of finalising the manifesto and we are going through some final drafts at this time,” Persaud said.

The manifesto will be ready for public launching in the coming weeks.
Persaud said there are many activities taking place in the party ahead of the polls, including PPP/C scrutineers in the field verifying the Revised List of Electors (RLE).

The elections are constitutionally due  by December 28; however, GECOM  had indicated that it will be ready for the polls by mid-November.

Recently, Prime Minister Samuel Hinds indicated that parliament will be dissolved constitutionally on September 27, if it is not dissolved by the president before that date.

The dissolution of  parliament is one  indication that the polls will be held shortly.

The PPP/Civic has  won the last four elections held since regaining power in 1992.
The PPP/C’s Presidential Candidate for the upcoming election is party stalwart and trained Economist, Mr. Donald Ramotar