IN a political climate increasingly marked by noise and distractions, it is refreshing, indeed, necessary, that the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) is choosing to campaign on substance: its record of governance, transformative development and vision for Guyana’s future.

Attempts by opposition voices to suppress this discourse speak more to their own insecurities than any legitimate concern for democratic decorum.

At a recent press conference, PPP General Secretary and Vice-President, Dr Bharrat Jagdeo offered a firm rebuttal to those who accuse the government of politicising development.

According to Dr Jagdeo, the very idea that a ruling party should not campaign on its achievements is not only absurd but deeply anti-democratic. Governance and campaigning are not mutually exclusive, especially not when progress is visible, measurable and life-changing for the average citizen.

Critics who reduce infrastructural development to routine functions—or worse, question its relevance with cynical catchphrases such as, “you can’t eat roads,” ignore the economic logic and social benefits of capital investments.

As Dr Jagdeo rightly noted, under the APNU+AFC administration, capital spending was stifled in favour of recurrent expenditure. The result? A nation stagnating under the weight of shortsighted financial planning and a bloated bureaucracy.

Today, under PPP/C leadership, the narrative has changed. Guyana is undergoing a transformation that is not cosmetic, but structural.

From the expansion of road networks such as the Heroes Highway to the opening of regional health facilities such as the Diamond Hospital, the government is delivering real value to its people.

These aren’t vanity projects; they are vital arteries of economic activity and social mobility. Less time spent in traffic and more land opened up for development means lower costs, increased productivity and greater opportunities for citizens. These are tangible benefits that can be quantified—and felt.

What’s more, the shift in public sentiment is evident. President, Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali has aptly noted the growing number of former APNU+AFC officials now publicly endorsing the PPP/C.

From former Vice President Sydney Allicock to MPs and regional leaders, the exodus from the opposition signals a powerful truth: the PPP/C’s agenda of progress is attracting support across party lines.

Importantly, these endorsements are not opportunistic. As President Ali has stated, they come from a place of conviction—a shared belief in a unified vision for national development. In contrast, the APNU+AFC continues to flounder without a coherent policy platform, fixated more on political power than on governance.

Their record during the 2020 elections, marred by attempts to derail the democratic process, remains a stark reminder of the type of politics Guyana cannot afford to revisit.

In the lead-up to the 2025 General and Regional Elections, voters will have a clear choice — regression or progress.

On one hand stands a party with a proven record of infrastructural expansion, economic growth and democratic renewal. On the other stands a fractured opposition with little more than slogans and stalled ideas.

The PPP/C has every right to campaign on its accomplishments—and every reason to be proud of them. The people of Guyana deserve a government that not only builds roads but understands where they lead. And right now, all roads point toward progress.