By Vishani Ragobeer

AS the incumbent coalition government, A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC) took its elections campaign to Hopetown, in Region Five, citizens shared why they believed the coalition will offer continued progress if reelected.

For Desiree Adams, an elderly resident of Region Five, the incumbent government had done much to improve the infrastructure in the region She also related that the David ‘G’ buses, given to communities as part of President David Granger’s 5Bs initiative, had been a huge relief for parents in the Region.

If there was one area she believed the government could direct some more focus to in the region, it would be to provide a specialised school for children with disabilities.

“We out here to support the coalition because it’s ‘Forward ever, Backward Never’,” supporter Best Kelly said. At the rally at Hopetown, Kelly was quite the energetic supporter of the government, and praised President Granger profusely. However, he contended that if given another term in office, the coalition government should work on providing more house lots for Guyanese. According to him, many “poor people” in Guyana would be grateful to own their own homes.

Orin Arthur, a supporter who travelled from Buxton to attend the rally, told the Guyana Chronicle that he supported the coalition government because it was one that was diverse and inclusive.

“I support the coalition because they do not look out for just (African) people, they look out for everybody… they are a diverse government that looks after everyone’s needs,” Arthur said. According to him, the incumbent coalition should receive another term in office because they are leaders that are “very balanced”. Karen Hamilton, another supporter, said that she was confident that the coalition government, led by President Granger was the “best” political party to lead Guyana into its next phase of development. President Granger, in his New Year’s address, announced the launch of a Decade of Development: 2020-2029, which is a ten-year plan that will accelerate the country’s four transformative processes – the ‘green state’, the ‘digital state’, the ‘petroleum state’ and an education nation.

Specifically, on creating this “education nation”, Hamilton opined that the government should do more work in communities where there was a high number of school absenteeism, once reelected. She also noted that the coalition should focus more on improving security for citizens. In this vein, another supporter, Bernadette Johnson, shared her view that the government could also create more jobs for young people, and school dropouts.

The Hopetown centre ground was filled with supporters dressed in their green and yellow and well-equipped with their flags and rags. Not all of the supporters present there, however, were from Region Five or even the nearby Region Four.

Harryram Samlall travelled all the way from Region Three to show his support for the coalition. The man, who is a Councillor of the Parika/Mora Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC), said that he believed that the government was working in the interest of Guyanese and should be given at least another term to advance its plans. In his region, he mentioned that the Parika market was in need of a ‘facelift’, as does the frequented transport stelling. However, he said, “I think they have it (revamping these) high on the agenda for 2020.” Alshazie Ramlakan, another NDC councillor from Region Three who travelled to Mahaica-Berbice to show her support, highlighted that she believed that the government was a “progressive one”, and similarly opined that it should be given another term in office to continue the work it had started.