SENIOR Minister in the Office of the President with Responsibility for Finance and the Public Service, Dr. Ashni Singh, has defended the People’s Progressive Party/Civic’s (PPP/C) newly-launched 2025–2030 Manifesto, saying it distinguishes itself from the proposals of other political parties because of the PPP/C’s record of credibility and delivery.
In an interview aired on the National Communications Network (NCN) Berbice, Dr. Singh argued that while other parties are presenting “lofty and fanciful promises,” the PPP/C has anchored its manifesto in realism and long-term strategy.
“They are not grounded in a comprehensive vision for the country. They are not grounded in any kind of strategic framework, and they are not grounded in any kind of macroeconomic reality or context. Compare and contrast that with the People’s Progressive Party’s manifesto, which, first of all, is grounded within a strategic framework. We state clearly what our strategic objectives are in every aspect and facet of their life,” Dr Singh said.
Dr. Singh added further that the PPP/C’s manifestos are grounded in a macroeconomic context that is realistic and a macroeconomic framework that is rigorous as the PPP/C would have carefully studied the world in which the country is operating and would have articulated a vision and a plan grounded in that world and that reality, including a recognition of what the risks are.
“Very importantly, Vice President and General Secretary, Dr. Jagdeo, when he spoke at the launching of the manifesto, he articulated in a manner that is worthy of keen attention, the risks and challenges that are associated with the world in which we are operating and with the current period of economic evolution in our country, including, of course, the fact that we are operating in a world that is characterised by tremendous macroeconomic uncertainty,” the minister explained.
Dr. Singh highlighted that Guyana has a commodity-based economy and despite being an oil producer, the country still has a gold-producing economy, a bauxite-producing economy, a sugar and rice-producing economy and is still subject to the ebb and flow of the global economy and uncertainty in commodity prices.
“And then, of course, as an oil-producing and a commodity-producing economy, we have to be cognisant of the risks of Dutch disease and the necessity to have a policy framework that mitigates the risk of Dutch disease.
“No other party has articulated this. They have just put together some random promises, and that alone is the fact that the people’s Progressive Party has been thorough and rigorous in outlining the macroeconomic context and analysing it, in identifying risks and being candid and frank with the Guyanese people to say, this is the world in which we are operating.
“These are the risks that we have to navigate, and we’ve outlined an agenda to improve your lives, taking into account these risks and taking into account this new world in which we’re operating; that alone is a loud statement about the seriousness, the rigour and the comprehensiveness of what we’ve presented,” he outlined.
The minister concluded further that the manifesto was comprehensive, with a vision for a Guyana that is a more prosperous Guyana and a country whose prosperity is not only at a national level but is translated into individual prosperity.