Statement by Irfaan Ali

See below a full statement issued by PPP’s Presidential Candidate Irfaan Ali:

I am humbled to have been selected by my Party as the presidential candidate. I wish to express my sincerest gratitude to the leadership of the Party for reposing in me their confidence.

I also thank the thousands, in and out of the Party, who have publicly and privately encouraged me to seek the Party’s nomination. I see myself as part of a broader team that will advance an agenda, which has as its primary focus, the people of our country.

The assurance of my comrades, who also contested for the candidacy, to working as a team is evidence of a collective commitment to a united People’s Progressive Party (PPP).

I commit, fully, to the programme of the Party, as it relates to delivering greater prosperity and progress for all our people, regardless of race, religion or gender, as well as to ensure the advancement of our nation. I am glad that the campaign is over.

I hope that the rumor-mongering, which was clearly intended to spread division in our ranks and to disparage me and the other candidates, will now stop.

Over the last 20 years, I have served my Party at regional and national levels. My work with the Progressive Youth Organization (PYO), since 1992, has given me a unique perspective of the challenges facing our youths and the opportunities that exist to enable them to actively participate in the governance of our country and being part of the solution.

My Party’s decision to select me, as a young person, is testimony to our commitment to not only talk the talk about youth leaders, but actively facilitate this. I have been elected to the leadership of the Party for almost 15 years and served in various capacities, including as Finance Secretary.

My grounding in the PPP has imbued me with a deep sense of commitment to the struggles of all our people, especially the vulnerable, and inspired a personal commitment to the people of Guyana. My experience in government has allowed me the opportunity to design and develop strategies and policies, consistent with the PPP’s manifesto, to overcome hurdles in key sectors.

My experience at the technical level, at the State Planning Secretariat and as Head of the Caribbean Development Bank Project Implementation Unit (PIU), allowed me the opportunity of overseeing the design, management and implementation of various projects and programmes across Guyana.

With seven years of Cabinet experience I was tasked with the management of large-scale projects, which resulted in the delivery of key goods and services to the Guyanese people.

I believe that the experience I have acquired, both in government and as the Finance sector spokesperson for the Parliamentary Opposition, has positioned me to tackle some of the most severe challenges facing our people and country – the increasing levels of joblessness, increasing debt, deteriorating investor confidence, poor performance of the economy, poor implementation of the PSIP, incompetence in government, the diminishing of welfare programmes that benefited vulnerable groups, ill-informed decisions and taxation policies that has affected key sectors.

I look forward, with great anticipation and with the support of my comrades to confront the many challenges that lie ahead to ensure that the People’s Progressive Party is returned to government so that we can resume the development agenda that will place our people and country back on the path of prosperity.