The A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC) this morning launched its elections manifesto, which has been described by the Party leader and incumbent president, David Granger, as “very ambitious”.
Granger, during his remarks said that the manifesto is timely, and that it reflects the interest of the majority whom the coalition of six parties represents.
“This agreement is not a minority manifesto. It is an agreement that has come out of the intellect at the interest of the majority parties in former parliament but in this country. There are over 207,000 persons who came out to vote for the APNU +AFC and have their views imbedded in this document…So, it is agreeable to the majority of people,” he said.
The Party’s leader said also, that the manifesto is attainable, and not an attempt to hoodwink the electorate.
“There is always a temptation for people to overpromise, because some of them know they can’t win anyway so [they] might as well promise. But we have been very realistic. We have been in government and we’ve brought our experience in crafting this manifesto. We will do what we promise to do. We will perform…So, we are not trying to bamboozle the electorate, we’re capable of delivering everything we promise. It is attainable and a progressive document,” Granger noted.
He noted too, that the promises outlined are “affordable”.
“It is affordable because we know how this manifesto will be financed. We are not talking pie in the sky. We have made plans for revenue; we’ve made plans for the judicious and prudent use of our revenues to ensure that everything we promise will be funded.
AFC’s Leader and Coalition’s Prime Ministerial Candidate, Khemraj Ramjattan, during his remarks said that with several sectors, including the gold and petroleum, performing well, there will be an attractive revenue stream to tap into, that will be used to deliver on the promises.
He made reference to the governance programme in the manifesto that will deal with constitutional reform; fiscal governance; enhancement of public procurement processes; the eradication of financial fraud and corruption; and enhancing human rights.
Ramjattan referred to the manifesto as a contract between the Coalition and the citizens of Guyana for the next five years and beyond.
“Put us back into government and these are the things that we will do, and certainly with the revenue stream, we are going to get done. It is our action plan,” he said.
The manifesto contains the following programmes: governance, economic, environmental, energy, education, social, security, international relations, and technology.
Establishing 6th form schools in every capital town; the construction of an Institute of Information and Communication Technology; ensuring equal pay for women; resolving existing land rights issues of Indigenous Peoples; establishing a National Squatter Settlement Commission; and the allocation of 20,000 houselots are some of the promises outlined in the manifesto.
