By Naomi Marshall

ADDRESSING the thousands of supporters at the A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC) rally in Linden, former Member of Parliament Jermaine Figueira urged that they resoundingly throw their support behind the ‘Coalition’ when they go to the polls on March 2.

Noting that the country’s future as well as their very lives depend on how they vote come March 2, Figueira said:

“This election is about power to govern this country. We are running an election different from our opposition; the Opposition is running the election for power, but we are running for the power of love of this country and its people.”

Recalling the division that obtained during the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C)’s 23 years in government, Figueira said that while in one part of the country, innocent protestors were brutally murdered and physically assaulted, the other half was controlled by drug lords who were more powerful than the police.

But a change was to come in 2015 with the leadership of President David Granger; “a leader who is putting the future of Guyana first by ensuring that every single Guyanese is educated, trained and skilled, so that they could take over the reins of this country.”

Also Taking the people of Linden and further afield down memory lane at Sunday’s APNU+AFC political rally was the Mayor of Linden, Waneka Arrindell, who recalled the dark days of the PPP/C government, a time when “persons would have perished, the poor was forgotten, and the weak was left to die.”

Noting that by contrast, great things were done under the leadership of President Grange, a leader who is about justice, integrity, mercy, humility and vision, Arrindell said, to loud cheers, “This leader does not make decisions based on the colour of our skin; this leader does not make decisions based on our religious beliefs. This leader wants a good life for all; this leader did not shut out the PPP strongholds; he gave to them the same amount of attention, because he understands that we are One People,One Nation and One Destiny.”

And, touching on the restoration of local democracy, Arrindell said that it is all thanks to President Granger that citizens now have the power to freely sound their voices on what they would like to see happen in their communities and collaborate with international organisations, a collaboration that resulted in the building of community centres and a women’s home in in Linden, the seat of administration for Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice).

According to the Ministry of Communities, the two primary objectives of Local Government are to enable democratic local decision-making and action by, and on behalf of, communities, and to promote the social, economic, environmental, and cultural well-being of communities.

“It is through local government we could stand and ask our President that when he takes back his seat, to make Linden the second city in Guyana,” Arrindell said, adding: “A new Linden-Lethem road, a two-lane bridge, an air strip will be developed so we could travel around this country at a cheaper cost. We are going forward ever!”