If given a second chance at government, the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) has promised to surpass the incumbent’s achievements and avoid the missteps made during its time in office from 2015 to 2020. The People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) has laughed at this, with one minister calling it the joke of the century. Recently, Minister within the Ministry of Housing and Water, Susan Rodrigues, warned her constituents to not become a victim of the APNU’s trickery, stating, “A leopard doesn’t change its spots.”
Addressing residents at a rally in her hometown in Middle Road, La Penitence, Rodrigues reminded them that the country learned the hard way when APNU and its former partner, the Alliance For Change (AFC), were given a chance at government. She said that period was marred by international embarrassment, as the APNU+AFC attempted to rig the elections and squatted in office for five months.
“These people tried to rig an election in our faces… we can’t allow them to go and change their clothes and come back, telling us they’ve changed and that they can do better now,” the politician declared.
Outlining the APNU+AFC’s “record of incompetence,” she reminded the crowd that infrastructure to support secondary school education was not prioritized, nor was the housing sector. She also noted that it was the same party that disbanded initiatives like the Because We Care cash grant for families. In light of these “unforgivable sins,” Rodrigues urged residents to vote for the PPP/C on September 1.
Recalling some of her party’s achievements in social development, Rodrigues highlighted that over 22 secondary schools are currently under construction, with some already completed. She said this is part of the government’s master plan to achieve universal secondary education. She also reminded the crowd that tuition fees have been abolished at the University of Guyana, and students interested in studying various courses can access these through the GOAL scholarship programme.
“Where else in the world could you find that kind of comprehensive development? Nowhere else, only in Guyana,” she said to a cheering crowd.
Rodrigues further noted the government’s efforts to transform the healthcare sector and empower citizens. Regarding the latter, she noted that a development bank would be established in the PPP/C’s second term. This institution, she said, would provide loans to small businesses at zero interest.
“And of course, more cash grants, higher wages, and salaries will be given,” the minister added.
With all this in mind, she told her constituents that Guyana is on a path of progress. A vote for the PPP/C on September 1 she said, is a vote for upward mobility. The minister urged them not to gamble with their future.
