GENERAL-Secretary of the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers’ Union (GAWU), Mr. Seepaul Narine, has expressed confidence that the PPP, in its deliberations during its 30th Congress, would be addressing significant political, economic and social issues.

The issues at reference, he said, “… today bear weightily on our country’s development and our people’s lives…The nation, particularly the working people, eagerly await the outcome and decisions from our deliberations, [and] given our present situation and challenges, we are certain that this Congress will point the way forward.”
Narine said that the strong links bonded through long and special relations that exist between the GAWU and the PPP have been “…symbolized by that indefatigable freedom fighter, Dr. Cheddi Jagan, who simultaneously held the positions of General-Secretary of the PPP, as well as Honorary President of the GAWU, thus we were engaged in several struggles and shared, on occasion, common victories and concerns.”
Narine posits that, from dual many-sided experiences, and recognition that the PPP is the inheritor of Dr. Jagan’s rich contributions on behalf of Guyana’s working people, GAWU is convinced that the PPP is the entity through which the working people of Guyana have a listening ear and a voice that articulates and addresses their needs and concerns at the relevant fora. “It is a history,” he noted, “that one should be justifiably proud of, a history, we are confident, that his Congress will carry on.”
According to Narine, PPP’s history is imbued with the spirit of internationalism; and this, he posited, will factor majorly in the deliberations of the Party’s 30th congress; and he urged that Congress resuscitate the advocacy that the Caribbean be a zone of peace, a call that was consistently made by Dr. Cheddi Jagan.
Reminding delegates and guests that the 30th Congress coincides with 20 years of PPP/C governance, Narine remarked on the outstanding advances made in re-instating democratic norms, in governance, in sound management of the country’s affairs, and in significant strides in the social, economic and political spheres of Guyanese society.
However, he urged that “…the successes should not make us complacent…We also have a long journey ahead, many problems to solve and critical objectives to attain.”
Alluding to the anti-developmental impasse created by the joint opposition, using their combined one-seat parliamentary majority to crush Government’s developmental agenda, Narine noted,
“In recent years a political climate has appeared in which opposition forces have adopted an obstructionist stance and showed a tendency for extremist actions that have impacted negatively on the country’s continuing progress.” These he urged the Congress to address, although he conceded “…there may not be easy answers to questions posed at this time,” he yet averred, “…we are certain your collective discussions will throw open windows of opportunities and solutions.”
In conclusion, Narine encouraged, “As you stand by the working people, in words and deeds, the working people will continue to embrace, give solidarity and join you in the political struggles that are before us. Together, we will overcome. In unity, more and more successes are assured. Let the vision you hammer out at this Congress inspire the masses to go forward to a brighter future without poverty, to peace, deepening democracy, economic justice and social progress. Let us uphold our common, long-cherished values and principles…Let this 30th Congress be another significant milestone of our country’s history.”