–President Ali tells Berbicians; assures residents of more jobs, progressive projects under the PPP/C

–points to achievements that extend beyond initial commitments

DESPITE persistent rainfall, Guyanese from diverse backgrounds turned out in strong numbers on Saturday to attend a community meeting in New Amsterdam, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), where President Dr. Irfaan Ali called on citizens to take charge of their future by voting to preserve the nation’s forward momentum.

Joined by several Cabinet members, President Ali addressed the enthusiastic crowd, urging voters to support the path of continued prosperity. He emphasised that while critics continue to voice dissent in an effort to discredit the government’s transformational agenda, the overwhelming public response speaks volumes about the tangible progress being felt across the country.

“Berbice, once neglected under the previous administration, is now experiencing a remarkable turnaround,” President Ali said, noting its evolution into a growing economic hub. He cautioned citizens against risking this progress by making uncertain political choices and reaffirmed the People’s Progressive Party’s (PPP) longstanding commitment to serving the people—both in government and opposition.

The President’s message was clear: the gains of today are real, and the future depends on safeguarding them through informed, responsible civic action. One’s democratic right to vote cannot be taken lightly as President Ali urged citizens to recognise the power of their choice.

He has called on Guyanese to demand trust, honour, and dignity from their political leaders—qualities he said should be the foundation of any party seeking public office. He urged citizens to judge political parties and candidates based on their track records rather than being influenced by lofty rhetoric or unfulfilled promises.

Reflecting on the tenure of the former A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) administration, President Ali pointed to what he described as a betrayal of public trust. He reminded the crowd of the coalition’s early promises that once ignited hope among the electorate, only to be followed by actions that fell far short of their commitments once in power.

“Look at the past four years and look at what we have done. We have achieved everything and have exceeded all our promises and commitment,” Dr. Ali said.

As citizens continued to reflect on the country’s transformational journey, the President said: “All the applause must be translated into our consciousness, must be translated in our ability to tell the story and to educate others, because this is serious business, your future and the future of this country and your region is serious business. This is not things that we must gamble with.”

While the government has attained tremendous successes, the President acknowledged that there is room for more to be done.

“We are aware that there are challenges that we must still overcome. We are aware that there are difficulties that we must still overcome. We are aware that there are weaknesses that still must be strengthened, but we are also acutely aware that we have delivered above and beyond our commitment in the manifesto.”

‘We’re ready to employ you’

Guyana’s rapid development is not occurring in a vacuum, President Ali affirmed, emphasising that the government is working diligently to ensure that all citizens benefit from the country’s progress.

Speaking on the government’s inclusive approach, the President highlighted ongoing efforts to expand opportunities across every level of society, particularly through the enhancement of the nation’s human resource capacity.

“These investments are geared towards unlocking new opportunities, creating new areas of wealth, creating new areas of jobs,” Dr. Ali stated.

While Guyana faced tremendous job losses under the previous administration, the current government took matters into their own hands and crafted policies to guarantee employment for all.

“This is the government that promised 50,000 jobs and they (opposition) doubted us. Today, I can say proudly that if you have an engineering degree and you’re not working, it’s because you don’t want to work, because we are ready to employ you. We have said very clearly, anybody with an engineering degree who wants the job, come now. We’ll employ you. We can’t get any, we advertise we can’t get. We’re looking for nurses. We’re looking for medical technicians, construction workers.”

‘Gov’t not seasonal’
The government is rolling up its sleeves and delivering real results, proving action speaks louder than rhetoric as the President told Berbicians that his administration is not seasonal.

“We are busy planning the future. We are not like the proud peacock lifting our tails all the time. We are the servants working hard every single day to make your life better and that is what One Guyana represents, service, and being servant leaders to all. It does not represent a political entity. It does not represent a political ideology. It represents a political and national commitment.”