President urges vote for PPP/C to safeguard ongoing development

President Irfaan Ali on Tuesday urged Guyanese voters to support the ruling People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) at the upcoming general and regional elections, warning that a change in government could derail ongoing development projects.

Ali, speaking in a video posted on social media, said re-electing the PPP/C would ensure that Guyana remains on its current trajectory of growth.

“I ask you to vote for the PPP/C, to not turn back the clock and ensure that we keep moving forward together for a better Guyana,” he said.

General and regional elections are scheduled for 1 September 2025.

Ali touted his administration’s achievements since taking office in 2020, including major investments in infrastructure, education, job creation, public sector wages, cash grants, healthcare, and recreational facilities.

“We have fulfilled all our promises in our manifesto. We are on the journey of building a strong, stable, prosperous Guyana that is globally recognised and well-positioned. We are growing on the right track,” he said. “On September 1, we either risk it all or continue moving forward with the PPP/C.”

He warned that a vote for any other party could jeopardise progress.

“If you do not vote to move forward together as one people on September 1, you put it all at risk… Now is not the time to take that risk. This is the time for strong, trusted, stable, competent and visionary leadership – and that is what the PPP/C offers,” he said.

Ali criticised opposition parties for what he described as irresponsible and destabilising rhetoric, likening their approach to “grasshoppers” making empty promises without laying the groundwork to deliver.

Referring to the APNU+AFC administration that governed from 2015 to 2020, Ali accused the coalition of failing to honour its commitments and presiding over job losses in the agriculture and mining sectors, while attempting to rig the 2020 election.

“We saw how they destroyed this country. We saw the instability they brought to Guyana and how much it cost us in credibility,” he said.

APNU leader Aubrey Norton has repeatedly cited the absence of oil revenues during his party’s time in office as a constraint on delivering more. But Ali countered, saying oil wealth alone is not enough.

“Oil alone does not translate into wealth. It is the choices governments make on investment and support for the economy and citizens that matter,” he said.

Ali also took aim at the newly formed “We Invest in Nationhood” (WIN) party, led by US-sanctioned businessman Azruddin Mohamed, warning that support for WIN could jeopardise relations with the United States – a key ally in Guyana’s border dispute with Venezuela.

“We cannot risk our relationship with the United States, who’ve already told us they have serious national and international security concerns regarding individuals like him,” Ali said. “He believes he can sacrifice the safety and security of an entire country for his self-interest.”

The Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) has set 14 July as Nominations Day, when political parties are expected to submit their lists of candidates.