–Dr. Jagdeo tells voters ahead of September 1 polls

AS the country gears up for next week’s General and Regional Elections, People’s Progressive Party (PPP) General Secretary and Guyana’s Vice-President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo on Monday delivered a passionate appeal to the electorate, urging them to exercise their right to vote wisely.

The upcoming elections will decide whether Guyana moves forward or returns to years of deadlock, Dr. Jagdeo said at a public meeting held at Enmore, East Coast Demerara (ECD), warning that the opposition is plotting to drag Guyana back into the period of stalled progress.

Describing one’s vote as a powerful tool to protect democracy, progress, and the nation’s future, Dr. Jagdeo told the mammoth crowd to go in their communities and mobilise to encourage everyone to head to the polls on September 1 and vote.

He said: “Your vote is valuable. Use it to safeguard freedom in this country. Use it to safeguard progress in this country. Use it to safeguard the future of your children and your family in this country. Use it to unite the people of Guyana. That is how powerful that vote is, and we fought to keep it free so that every person’s voice matters. This is what these elections are about. So, I’m counting on every one of you.”

Dr. Jagdeo stressed that the right to vote had been fought for, reminding citizens of 2020 when the APNU+AFC attempted to hijack Guyana’s democracy and the five-month long fight by Guyanese to take back the nation’s democracy.

Addressing young voters, he warned that the stakes extend far beyond elections day itself.

While noting that most young people are not privy to the dark days of the People’s National Congress, now branded as the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), he urged citizens: “If you have a young relative, if you have a first-time voter, talk to that person, sit them down and tell them what is at stake.”

Further, Dr. Jagdeo rejected the plots by the opposition parties to reduce the PPP to a minority government like in 2011 and said: “It’s not going to happen. We’re going to win the election overwhelmingly, with a clear majority.”

The Vice-President then highlighted the development path for the nation under the PPP/C, emphasising that this is the only “viable” party to lead Guyana forward.

Transforming the society into a modern, competent, and efficient society, ensuring the individual growth of citizens and ensuring they get more from the state along with tackling community issues were the main pillars highlighted by the Vice-President during his address to supporters.

“You need a party in office that will continue to address the big things- keep your country safe at the borders, addressing issues of national transformation, changing our societies, building the highway and the roads with the capability to do so whilst at the same time touching on the small issues that are affecting people in their communities,” Dr. Jagdeo said.