Whether they were right or wrong, Opposition Member, Priya Manickchand said she never resented the citizenry when it voted the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) out of office back in 2015. According to the former Minister of Education, Guyanese exercised their will for a change and that will must always be respected.
The PPP Executive Member made these and other statements during an interview that was aired on Kaieteur Radio yesterday. There, she provided her perspective on serving in the political opposition as well as reflections on the relatively young APNU+AFC coalition.
Manickchand said, “The people of Guyana voted in 2015 for another party to take office and that view was respected. Within four or five days we were out of office…That is what elections are about. (But) I never ever resented people for throwing us out. Even though I disagreed, I never resented people for feeling that they needed a change.”
The former government Minister said getting a full picture of what service looks like from both sides was perhaps a necessary experience. Further to this, she said that going into the 2015 elections as an incumbent did come with its own burdens while noting that party was up against a coalition that “looked very sexy to the population.” Manickchand said that the APNU+AFC had a plaster for everything but never offered a solution to the problems it spoke of. She said that this got lost in the noise of the election campaign season.
“They were good at saying what is wrong and nothing about solutions. But I think the best thing that could have happened to us as a country is that we get to experience all the parties that have sway…,” the PPP member stated.
In the 2020 elections, Manickchand said that the people had the opportunity to measure both parties having experienced them and decide which would be best for their future. The PPP Member said that the same way the will of the people was respected in 2015; the same must take place now.
“This is not about PPP or APNU this is about respect for the people’s votes. The people did all that they were asked to do… Their will must be now heard…” Manickchand stated.
