THUNDEROUS roars of affirmation came from the over 5,000 Lindeners who rallied around the APNU-AFC at the Wismar Public Meeting, on Friday evening, vowing not to give the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) a second chance, as the only focus is to keep moving forward.

Donned in green and yellow, they waved their campaign flags high and making merry on Burnham Drive to the popular ‘Farmer Nappy Jingle’.
Many were able to handle both a flag and a garbage bag in their hands as they paraded the streets to the now very popular campaign song. The celebratory atmosphere continued throughout the night, as the presenters made their way to stage.

Keeping the mood on fire were cultural performances from both local and regional artistes and dancers.

First on stage was National Top-Up Candidate, Amanza Walton, who affirmed that Linden will only continue to thrive under the coalition. “This is evident with the many projects in the pipe line for the mining town already. These include a new Linden to Soesdyke Highway, a new Mackenzie Wismar Bridge and an upgraded Linden airstrip, to facilitate both local and international flights. Lindeners must ensure that this progress continues which has been evident within the last four years, in massive infrastructural development. For 2019 alone, over one mile of roads throughout the township was rehabilitated,” she said. “Under the leadership of his Excellency, Linden is going to thrive……change is not an event, it is a process and so I am here to tell you that we together, must ensure that progress continues,” she said.

Emphasizing the need to move forward together, without stopping the progress, was Director-General of the Ministry of the Presidency, Joseph Harmon, who stressed that post 2015, Guyana was moved from a pariah state to a clean and corruption-free state, which allowed Guyanese both home and in the diaspora, to be proud to say that ‘I am Guyanese.’ This movement to betterment, Harmon said, has taken on a different meaning in the upcoming elections. “So all across this country, this APNU-AFC movement speaks of moving from a pariah state to a state of orderliness, a state of good governance,” he said.

Mayor of Linden, Waneka Arrindell, touched on local democracy and how same was returned to the people by the David Granger-led Administration. “You can’t get it, if you don’t want to be a part of it because if we don’t learn as Local Government Organs, if we don’t learn to develop our towns, then we will die and that is why our Government brought back LGE,” she said.

Former Regional Chairman, Sharma Solomon, received a welcome back with loud cheers from the crowd. He said, “We as a people; a Guyanese people, must ensure that this great revolution of wealth we are involved in, does not fail. For it not to fail, we must put the right leaders in place to manage our oil resources correctly with integrity and vision and what better person to place there that a visionary, President David Granger and his administration to lead us into this economic revolution.”

Former Member of Parliament, Jermaine Figueira urged the crowd to consider the four Ws as they prepare to vote: Why, When, Where and What which will result in the coalition Winning the election. He reminded them of how their ancestors fought and suffered for the common man to obtain the right to vote because they understood the power of voting. “That is the power of voting, voting is your voice, so do not take it for granted…….voting gives you access to power, political power; it is only when you have power, you can effect change.”

Addressing the women in the crowd was Minister within the Ministry of Agriculture, Valerie Yearwood, who spoke on the strides made by the Coalition Government to ensure women are empowered and respected. First, over 225 young mothers were reintegrated back into school, to ensure they become qualified. Hundreds of women across Guyana benefitted from training in various areas such as agro-processing and entrepreneurial skills and could now access funding from various government funding organizations such as Small Business Bureau and the Linden Enterprise Network. (LEN). “From 2010 to 2015, LEN could not give one single loan to Linden people, because the money disappeared….put them in the garbage bag and park them. It wasn’t until 2015 when the APNU-AFC took office, that LEN got $155 M,” Yearwood reminded the residents.

The crowd continued to be energized and flags continued to fly high in the air as local artistes such as Brandon Harding and ‘Lil Colwin’ performed original songs in support of the coalition government. Bringing down the curtain was Jamaican artiste, Jahmiel, who had the thousands on their feet, jumping and gyrating to his popular songs.
The four geographical candidates were also introduced to the audience. These are Jermaine Figueira; AFC Region Ten Chairman, Devin Sears; former Regional Councilor, Douglas Gittens and Minister Valerie Yearwood.