It was a night filled with bold promises and the usual fiery rhetoric, but leaders of the PNC-dominated APNU Coalition on Saturday night would have expected to deliver their message in front of a massive crowd in New Amsterdam.
This Berbice town has long been a stronghold of the PNC and once attracted massive rallies ahead of elections, but that was not the case this time around.
Presidential Candidate Aubrey Norton and Vice Presidential Candidate Ganesh Mahipaul addressed a crowd that resembled what one might expect at a small community meeting. The meeting was scheduled to start at 4 p.m. but got underway more than two hours later as the party scrambled to draw a crowd.
And when they did start speaking, there was nothing new to hear.
Mahipaul began with a chant he believes is catching on. He invoked “Don’t Vote Fuh Cup,” a song by calypsonian Ras Marcus, to dissuade the crowd from voting for the PPP, whose symbol is the cup. It has been his recent mantra and, if the crowd wasn’t enjoying it, he certainly was.
He then moved on to APNU’s bold promises: raising the minimum wage to $200,000 and increasing the income tax threshold to $400,000.
Norton then took the stage with his traditional bounce and began with a rumour that no one seemed to have heard before — that Juretha Fernandes was being replaced as the Prime Ministerial candidate.
Norton sought to reassure the faithful:
“I have no doubts. At the end of the elections on September 1st, the next Prime Minister will be Juretha Fernandes.”
He then made a push for the votes of his supporters.
“We’re going to overcome and beat the People’s Progressive Party. We have better policies than them,” he declared.
And what are those policies?
“We have developed what we call a people-centred development strategy.”
Among the initiatives he outlined was increasing the old-age pension to $100,000 a month and reducing the pension age to 60.
And then, just after saying that, he admitted the promise was being made to secure power.
“We are in these elections to get political power. We’re not fooling anybody that we don’t want political power.
“We want political power, but we’re going to use that political power to serve you, the people of Guyana.”
He then turned to what appears to be APNU’s signature housing proposal: build houses and allow citizens to rent them.
“I said for a long time we will develop a rent-to-own scheme.”
“…we’re saying that you will pay a rent, and when the rent covers the cost of the house, the house will be transferred to you.”
“…we are also saying to you we will give rent and mortgage assistance so that people can live a comfortable life.”
Norton, who has been in politics for about 50 years, spoke for over an hour, mixing these proposals with scathing personal attacks on the PPP leadership.
He also returned to frequent opposition talking points — corruption, politicisation of the police force, racial discrimination, and poverty under the PPP government.
APNU is struggling to attract donations and keep its campaign machinery running.
The rally’s modest stage, lack of major logistical support, and poor turnout were visible signs of these financial and organisational strains.
Calls to action — including for people to vote early and scrutinise the election — ended the evening.
This is not the kind of showing APNU expected in New Amsterdam. It seemed more like a party scrambling for support than one racing towards victory.
The post APNU with bold promises, fiery rhetoric at New Amsterdam rally appeared first on News Room Guyana.
