Dear Editor,
MY love of country, more so my love of my Indigenous brothers and sisters, has always been the driving force behind my every endeavour.
As a proud young Indigenous Guyanese, I have watched with keen interest the progress our nation has made over the last five years. From the hinterland to the coastland, from the mountains of Region Eight to the villages along our mighty rivers; our people have long contributed to the development of this beautiful country we all call home.
For too long, our people were given the short end of the stick when it came to our development but change was made possible and change is happening.
Let me say this, I have seen Indigenous Peoples being empowered and uplifted. No empty slogans, no cut-and-paste promises, I have seen communities benefitting significantly from strong and progressive leadership.

For the first time, most of our communities now have access to potable water in every home. Schoolchildren are once again being given monetary assistance to ease the burden on their parents.
Development in our communities is moving at a rapid pace: cash grants, income-generating projects, internet connectivity, housing, skills training, job creation, and sustainable electrification. Our culture is being celebrated and preserved, not just for show, but with genuine respect and inclusion in national development.
It must be noted that we have come a long way in just five years, from a time when we were once called greedy by sitting APNU+AFC Cabinet officials over basic concerns of land titling, without even a second of retraction or remorse.

Not only has land titling resumed, but under the PPP/C we are able to proudly represent our people, regardless of affiliation and without the open hatred we endured in the past.
Yet, some still shout that nothing has been done. That there is no progress nor development taking place across our land.

In this election, new political actors are entering the arena. Some may come with money, promises, and others with noise, but we must look beyond the surface.
As young people (most of us are first time voters) we cannot, at any point, vote out of emotion or excitement, rather from a place of discernment.
Whose policies will yield the greatest tangible impact? Who is investing in the future we deserve? And who has a track record of delivering it?

No government is perfect. There is still more to be done. But it would be dishonest of me to ignore the strides we have made under the vibrant leadership of President Ali, PM Phillips and VP Jagdeo.

What is essential is leadership that listens, learns, and responds, and the PPP/C is the only party that has demonstrated this, time and again.
Friends, this is not a time to gamble with our future. This is our generation’s moment to shape Guyana. We cannot be complacent. We must stand firm and vigilant as we guard our future. We must not waste it.
“O beautiful Guyana
O my lovely native land
More dear to me than all the world
Thy sea-washed, sun-kissed strand”
My name is Kenneth Edwards. I am eighteen years old. Mighty Lokono blood courses through my veins. I am a proud descendant of our First Peoples, and I am not avaricious.
I am proud of my heritage, and I know exactly where my vote will go.
Yours faithfully,
Kenneth Edwards