End of Regime in Sight

The hold that this callous ruling group has over the nation is soon to end. The signs are there. The screaming of insults to opponents, the lies and exaggeration are all indications that their time is over. The most obvious sign is their eagerness to buy votes. If they are so confident of their record in government why the rush to give out tractors, land titles, computers, salary increases and plain old money?

Yesterday, a friend told me her son collected $5,000 to wear a PPP T shirt and vote for the party. Then there are threats –a public service worker was told that if she did not deliver at least 10 ‘opposition’ supporters to a rally her job would be at risk. The corrupt nature of the government is revealed by these actions which show that the thinking at the top is not about free, fair and transparent elections but about frustrating the will of the people.

This shameless government does not trust the people of the country. It believes that they cannot think or discriminate. So it has for nineteen years refused to allow competition in the radio industry. It tries its best to screen what its supporters see or hear. It feeds them what it thinks they ought to read or listen. It was so scared that its members would choose another Presidential candidate that it cancelled a party congress and allowed no debates among party Presidential candidates.

              When a government cannot even trust its own supporters how can they expect others to trust it? How can the average voter trust a government that wants to bribe them with gifts or money?  How can a voter trust a government which is not willing to allow them to hear other perspectives? Trust is the basis of a sound relationship. It is clear that the ruling class does not have a proper relationship with the people it governs.

              So let me give you the signs that came from across the river. A friend told me he met a Pandit who was formerly a strong PPP supporter for over 40 years. Even though he left Guyana ten years ago for Suriname he was a supporter. Last week he said after a two week stay on the Corentyne that the PPP was facing heavy defeat. The people he met were angry with the government. Most people were talking about the corruption of government officials.

               Sign number two came from someone working in GEOCOM. She took a three day visit to Suriname to apply for jobs. She should have been in Guyana doing training. She thinks there will be a chaotic change over so she is running.

               There next indication of a change came from friends very high up in The Suriname hierarchy.  A Minister of the Government in Guyana advised his counterpart in Suriname to quickly finalize all agreements because the PPP government is on its way out.

So voters of Guyana your message is reaching out to the world. You will act with firmness and confidence on the 28 November. You will vote to introduce a new era of governance. You will choose leaders who respect you and trust you. David Granger, Rupert Roopnarine and the APNU team have taken the time to talk with you and to put down your dreams of a united Guyana going beyond the tired old politics. Guyana is choosing to discard old patterns of governance. The former major parties have played their roles and have been found wanting. The people choose for a new way of governing—one which respects a wider spectrum of opinions and people input.