‘A disappointment’: No account for the past and no plans for future of G/T at APNU campaign launch – Jagdeo

A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) launched its campaign for the upcoming Local Government Elections at the weekend and though it predicts a win in several constituencies across Georgetown, General Secretary of the governing People’s Progressive Party, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo believes it was a disappointment.

At a press conference on Thursday, Jagdeo who is also the country’s Vice President, said the APNU failed to account for its track record, having controlled the City Council since independence.

But beyond that, Jagdeo told reporters that his disappointment was heightened when the leadership of the APNU and sitting councillors, who have returned as candidates, offered no concrete plans for the development of the capital city in the future.

“Through the entire rally, they didn’t have a single thing to speak about Georgetown. They didn’t tell people of Georgetown how the plan to improve their lives… they didn’t account for their track record for the city or say this is what we will do.

“Ninety per cent of the speeches by the senior leaders of the [APNU] and the councillors were cussing the PPP and I was featured in the cuss out for almost every speaker,” Jagdeo said in the opening statement at his press conference.

In contrast, the General Secretary said the plans of the PPP/C are well laid out.

“It is not how you feel about Jagdeo that matters to the people. It is whether you will provide good services…that is what [people] want to hear and none of that came,” Jagdeo said while pointing out that the campaign launch was poorly attended.

He said a mere 60 people were in attendance based on the headcount done by the party. Previously, Jagdeo asked residents of Georgetown to support the PPP/C and give it a chance to fix their long-standing issues.

Since Guyana gained independence in 1966, the People’s National Congress and later, the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), have controlled the Georgetown City Council, though PPP councillors have been elected to the council.