–Jagdeo says

WITH only a smattering of people in attendance, and speeches focused on politicking and lacking discussions on plans for development, General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Bharrat Jagdeo has chided the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) for a “disappointing launch” of its campaign in Georgetown for the Local Government Elections (LGEs).

The APNU held its launch last Sunday at the Roxanne Burnham Gardens well site area, and though the various speakers spent ample time telling the city residents about Jagdeo and the PPP/C, the main political opposition offered “nothing for the residents in the city”.

“They didn’t say here is what we are going to do for the city if we get re-elected, and lay out their plan. Ninety per cent of the speeches by the senior leaders of the People’s National Congress (PNC) and the council were cursing the PPP/C,” Jagdeo said during his weekly press conference.

He added: “It’s not how you feel about Jagdeo that matters to the people of the city, it’s whether you are going to provide better services to them. And that’s what they want to hear. None of that came, and this was their launch. It was a big disappointment.”

Citizens in Georgetown and across the country are set to go to the polls on June 12 to elect new council members for the 80 Local Authority Areas (LAAs) across the country. Georgetown is presided over by a 30-seat council that has traditionally been dominated by the PNC/R, which is the leading party in APNU.

The APNU currently has 21 seats on the council, while its former coalition partner, the Alliance for Change (AFC), has two, and the PPP/C has seven. However, the AFC is not running for LGEs this year, and at least two sitting APNU Councilors have since crossed over and joined the PPP/C camp.

A former AFC candidate also joined the PPP/C list of candidates.

Over the past two successive LGEs, the PPP/C has been gaining ground at City Hall, and has been optimistic about gathering further momentum at this elections.

Jagdeo said that Leader of the PNCR Aubrey Norton has let slip that the party is worried about losing its footing in the city, and is trying to reassure party supporters of its standing.

“When a leader of a party has to go to his own stronghold and say, ‘We will win in Georgetown’; when you have to start defending in your stronghold that you will win and have to reassure yourself in your own stronghold that you will win, that says that you are very worried and scared. And that’s the tone of their campaign; that’s why they have to lash out at everyone and everything, and lie to the people of Georgetown,” Jagdeo said.

According to the General Secretary, the PPP/C has chosen to use its campaign to promote Manifestos and develop and outline plans for the various local areas.

“We had a Manifesto; I spoke to the activists and said here are some of the things you can promise, and you would have the full backing of the government if you do that and it’s all positive… I said to them stay away from the negatives, people already know about APNU and their track record. So, we just focus on what we are going to do in these places if we have an opportunity to control,” Jagdeo said.