The People’s Republic Party (PRP) is the newest political party to join the race for office come March 2, 2020.
Led by Dr. Valerie Leung, a re-migrant who works in the field of law, the party is referred to as “the God-fearing party.”
Its members are from the Christian faith and the party was launched on Saturday at the Ocean View International Hotel, East Coast Demerara with a church service.
Dr Leung was born in Pomeroon, Region Two and raised in Georgetown; she is a 63-year-old mother of seven and is the Presidential Candidate but the PRP has not yet found a Prime Ministerial Candidate.
With Nomination Day announced for January 10, the party is looking for Candidates. While you do not have to be a Christian, one of the prerequisites listed in the PRP’s code of conduct speaks against homosexuality.
Number seven of the code of conduct says members must “uphold the institution of marriage as being solely between a biological male and a biological female.”
According to Dr Leung, who is also a member of the Georgetown Minister’s Fellowship GMF), the lifestyle of Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ) persons is wrong and should not be condoned.
“You don’t have a right to do what’s wrong,” the Presidential Candidate said, repeating statements she made in June 2018 at a press conference of the GMF.
That press conference was held to voice concerns of a section of the Christian community against a planned pride parade that year.
Dr Leung told the News Room during an interview before the official launch that “the people in the LGBT community are people that many times need help…they are troubled people, many of them were abused as children…and we just say I must pass laws to accommodate you, to facilitate your pain…instead of saying let me help you.”
The PRP’s symbol is a lamp which is lit by “a greater light” in the background said to be God; they believe a religious political party is the only way to end corruption in Guyana.
Responding to questions that religion and politics do not mix, she said “What’re you saying honest people must not be in politics? God-fearing people must not be in politics? That we must continue to put the corrupt and the covetous and the dishonest in Government and have them govern us? I don’t believe that.”
She added that “the mosque and the churches and the temple is full of honest people who have been silent too long and they have actually enabled the corruption by their silence.”
By ending corruption, the Presidential Candidate said all other issues in the country will be better addressed.
“The greatest deterrent to Guyana’s progress has been the lack of integrity,” Dr. Leung told the News Room.
Dr Leung migrated with her parents to Canada several decades ago and moved back to Guyana in 1987 with her husband and children. She returned to Canada after her husband died but returned to Guyana a few years ago to settle down.
Persons wanting to join the party do not have to be a Christian but they must be prepared to lead honest lives in office, ensure that they appoint only qualified persons to positions in Government and defend the freedom of speech, religion and the primacy of parental rights over those of the state in rearing and caring for children.
The party also supports the death penalty as its code of conduct said its members must support all laws and practices which demonstrate and support the belief that all human life from conception to natural death is sacrosanct and that no one shall be deprived of his/her life intentionally unless in execution of the sentence of a court.
The PRP is the seventh political party to be launched this year to contest the March 02, 2020 general and regional elections.
