Next Coalition Government will do more for youth- Ramjattan

AFC Leader Khemraj Ramjattan pumps his fist after delivering his ‘Don’t stop the progress” speech

Leader of the Alliance for Change, the second largest party in the Coalition Government Khemraj Ramjattan on Friday evening told a mammoth crowd at Durban Park that Guyana is sitting on the threshold of greatness and urged them to “don’t stop the progress”

President David Granger and First lady Sandra Granger listens to Ramjattan’s speech

Ramjattan in acknowledging that the youth constitutes the largest portion of ‘our small population’ said they continue to face challenges in advancing their ideas and dreams, something he said will be fixed with the revenue stream from the oil and gas sector.

“The next coalition government will do far more to encourage, engage and empower our youth by implementing policies to address the challenges faced by our young people. And I want to tell to tell the young people this; young people, we will have the resplendent revenue stream to implement these policies; the oil and gas revenue stream” Ramjattan told the rally on Friday.

Ramjattan’s assurance comes even as some young people have expressed dissatisfaction at finding it hard to land job after the coalition was elected to office, many of who would have campaigned and propel the coalition to victory at the 2015 polls.

Khemraj stressed that with the use of technology and increased scholarships, training would be provided to the next generation of petroleum engineers, welders and other skilled persons needed for the oil and gas sector as required. “We want to wheel the next generation away from cane cutting, a place that the PPP wants to put them back” he added.

President David Granger is however on record as stating that it is not the Government’s responsibility to find job for persons. Granger has however implemented several mechanisms to ensure that young people become self-sufficient, pushing them in the direction of entrepreneurship and academic development so they can have jobs and maintain job security. Granger also revived the Public Service College.

“We will create a mechanism to ensure that our young people participate and have a meaningful input and implementation of policies at the higher level, just like we ensure participation at the local levels by holding two local government elections in four years” the rally was told by its touted PM candidate.

A section of the crowd at the APNU+AFC Campaign Rally launch on Friday evening

Ramjattan’s Speech appeared to have been well received by the sea of supporters sporting their green and yellow outfits, but it was his reflection on the APNU+AFC partnership over the years that brought an even deeper accord at the rally as he inserted the mantra “Don’t stop the progress” which at intervals changed to “Don’t stop that progress”

He spoke of fundamental changes to the economy, increasing minimum wage, old age pension, reducing tax burdens, investment in health, education, infrastructure, making funds available to small businesses, developing public Wi-Fi hot-spot zones and improvement in several other areas.

“We have invested 3.2 billion for and improved hospitals and health facilities, don’t stop the progress”, “For education in 2019 alone they have invested 5.4 billion dollars for new and improved schools and colleges, don’t stop that progress” Ramjattan continued as he made reference to several other sectors including security.

“We have turned the screws on criminals by applying intelligence gathering and surveillance techniques in addition to increasing policing community groups all over the country, don’t stop the progress.”

Ramjattan did over the last few years, receive harsh criticisms for his leadership of the security sector but on Friday he told the rally that their choice in these elections is clear.

“It is between this coalition government led by President Granger who is properly qualified and certified and who led the tremendous progress thus far, or of an arrogant feral PPP government lead by Irfaan Ali whose qualifications are questionable and who seems not to know where his certificates will come from and by the way;… who certainly will be a puppet to you know who”

In concluding, he noted that the APNU+AFC Coalition represent the best choice for Guyana lead by President David Granger who he regarded as calm, strong, honest measured intellectual, gracious and embracing, attributes he concluded Guyana will need in years to come and which will benefit this country forever.

With the assurance that the APNU+AFC Coalition brings hope, opportunity and prosperity, Ramjattan urged the crowd for their vote on March 02 while asserting “One good term deserves another, and don’t stop the progress”