—with broad-based national support

AS Guyana heads into the September 1 General and Regional Elections, the ruling People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) is not just maintaining its strongholds but also gaining further momentum, drawing unprecedented support across ethnic and geographic lines, as opposition parties scramble to reignite the electorate’s interest and trust.

Today, thousands are expected to gather at the Kitty Market Square in Georgetown as the PPP/C officially launches its campaign under the banner “Forward Together for a Better Guyana.” The official launch will be headlined by President, Dr. Irfaan Ali, his running mate, Prime Minister (ret’d) Brigadier Mark Phillips and Vice President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo.
The launch is expected to kick off from 15:00h and will see a plethora of speakers from the party outlining their vision to continue leading Guyana on its rapid developmental trajectory for the next five years.
At his weekly press conferences and community engagements, Dr Jagdeo has consistently highlighted that the party has not only campaigned on promises but has also delivered proven results. Since taking office in 2020, the tangible accomplishments of the PPP/C government have begun to take shape. During the critical 2020 elections, the party made a series of pledges to the Guyanese electorate; among them, creating more jobs, eliminating over 300 taxes imposed by the former APNU+AFC administration, restoring the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS), and advancing the education, housing, and health sectors.
Today, not only have these promises been fulfilled, but the government has gone even further, implementing additional social and economic programmes that continue to transform the lives of citizens across the country. Additionally, the government has created over 60,000 new jobs, a remarkable achievement when compared to the previous administration’s tenure, which was marked by significant job losses.

Another major accomplishment has been the steady increase in wages for public sector workers. The doubling of the old-age pension, and the restoration and expansion of the ‘Because We Care’ cash grant for all schoolchildren and the restoration of the Joint Services bonus are also among other key accomplishments for this government.
The implementation of a comprehensive infrastructure plan, the stimulation of non-oil investments, the rollout of a transformative healthcare agenda, including 12 new hospitals, and the advancement of the LCDS 2030 are additional key achievements of the ruling PPP/C.
The government has also implemented a range of tax cuts and relief measures aimed at improving citizens’ lives. These include the removal of Value Added Tax (VAT) on machinery and equipment, water and electricity, data services, hinterland travel, and several other essential goods and services.

There has also been a reduction in personal income tax rates, a doubling of the income tax threshold, tax-free allowances and the corporate tax has been abolished for private health and education providers to spur development. In the construction industry, there has also been the removal of VAT on a range of materials.
What to expect?
Ahead of Nomination Day and the official launch of the party’s campaign, Dr. Jagdeo emphasised that the party is not focused on optics but on making steady progress within all communities.
“Our support is intact in a lot of these communities and they are enthusiastic; the young Amerindian kids, the older folks, because they have seen the changes; in the Afro-Guyanese community, we have a lot of groups everywhere,” he said.
As he spoke further on the multiracial PPP’s unifying campaign, he said, “We’re looking forward to the launch, we’re are looking forward to carrying our list on Monday, and we’re looking to winning the elections and then resuming work the day after the elections because we have not stopped working from the first day we took office.
“We have not stopped. If you…go back and look at the images, from the first day we took office, August 2nd, 2020, we’ve been on the road all the time, every single day, high energy; pushing, transforming communities, getting things done, etc.”

Ahead of the PPP/C’s campaign launch today, Jagdeo told reporters: “Our launch will be different…We’re talking about changing this country for all our people.”
Further, he said, “We are not looking to surprise the country on Monday. We’re not dealing with optics politics. So, when they picked their prime ministerial candidate for the APNU, I saw them saying, ‘Oh, it’s diversity.’ Your entire campaign is about racism and exclusion,” he said.
According to Jagdeo, more Guyanese are recognising the PPP/C’s efforts to improve the lives of all, and as a result, more people are approaching party officials to offer their assistance.