AS Guyana approaches the pivotal September 1, 2025 elections, a clear distinction has emerged in the political landscape.
While six political parties have been approved to contest the elections, only one—the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C)—has demonstrated a serious commitment to policy-driven campaigning and has presented a comprehensive vision for Guyana’s future.

The PPP/C’s 2025-2030 manifesto stands as a testament to thoughtful governance planning. Central to their platform is job creation through targeted support for productive sectors, including agriculture, mining, and forestry.

The party has outlined specific initiatives such as establishing a development bank to finance small and medium enterprises, opening 100,000 acres of arable land for cultivation and expanding drainage and irrigation systems. These are not vague promises but detailed policy prescriptions rooted in economic reality.
In stark contrast, the opposition continues to peddle what can only be described as fiscal fantasy. The APNU’s promise of $1 million to every Guyanese citizen would cost over $800 billion annually—far exceeding the entire $511 billion national budget.

As General Secretary Dr Bharrat Jagdeo astutely observed, these are “wild promises that have no basis in economic reality.” The opposition has failed to present any coherent macroeconomic framework, taxation policy, or sustainable funding mechanism for their grandiose pledges.

The PPP/C’s campaign launch showcased the party’s commitment to youth empowerment, featuring 27 candidates under age 25, including one who is only 18 years old. This is not tokenism, but a reflection of genuine investment in young Guyanese through policies such as the GOAL scholarship programme that has benefitted nearly 30,000 citizens, and free university education.
The party’s digital-transformation agenda includes implementing a national e-ID system, introducing an AI assistant called “AskGov” for 24/7 government services, and investing in tech parks and innovation hubs. These forward-thinking initiatives demonstrate a party that understands modern governance requirements.

While the PPP/C presents unified, detailed policies, the opposition landscape remains fragmented and policy-light. The formal re-engagement between APNU and the AFC came only after their coalition collapsed, and even now, their collaboration appears more about power-sharing than policy coordination. Norton’s pledge to “restore honesty to Guyana” rings hollow when his party cannot even present honest budget calculations.

Newer parties such as the We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) have been exposed for producing manifestos showing “significant plagiarism” from other parties, particularly the PPP’s, manifesto. As investment chief Dr Peter Ramsaroop noted, WIN’s document represents “a combination of other people’s ideas,” lacking the competence to implement stolen policies.
The PPP/C campaigns on achievements, not just aspirations. Over 60,000 new jobs have been created since 2020, reversing the devastating job losses under APNU+AFC rule. Public servants have received wage increases, old-age pensions have doubled, and more than 40,000 families now own house lots. The party’s $9.6 billion investment in Region Two alone demonstrates commitment to agricultural development and infrastructure.

The opposition’s track record tells a different story. The APNU+AFC administration is remembered for firing workers, imposing over 300 taxes, and mismanaging more than $400 billion in public funds. Their promise of a “good life for everyone” in 2015 became five years of economic decline and sectoral collapse.

As Guyana’s electorate prepares to vote, the choice could not be clearer. The PPP/C offers detailed policies grounded in economic reality, a proven track record of delivery, and a vision that encompasses job creation, digital transformation, youth empowerment, and inclusive development. Their massive campaign launch drawing over 30,000 supporters reflects genuine, popular enthusiasm for substantive governance.

The opposition, meanwhile, continues to offer recycled rhetoric, financially impossible promises and fragmented leadership. They represent a return to the failed policies that Guyanese decisively rejected in 2020.

In this election, voters face a fundamental question: Do they want serious policy-making or populist pandering?
The PPP/C’s comprehensive manifesto and policy-driven campaign provides the answer. As General Secretary Jagdeo noted, “The internet does not vote, people do”—and the people of Guyana deserve leaders who take policy seriously, not parties that mistake volume for vision.

The path to election has revealed that only the PPP/C possesses the policy depth, proven competence and clear planning necessary to lead Guyana into its next chapter of development and prosperity.