GEORGETOWN, Guyana – One day after President Irfaan Ali used a national Facebook livestream to outline his vision for poverty reduction, the opposition APNU coalition has come out swinging — dismissing the address as a “rehash” of policies that have already failed and accusing the government of squandering the country’s oil wealth.
In a strongly worded statement released Monday, the coalition accused the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) of offering nothing new, arguing that Ali’s presentation was heavy on promises but light on specifics.
“Not surprisingly, his so-called plan contains a hodgepodge of failed measures and empty catchphrases,” the coalition stated, adding that the PPP’s approach lacks credible targets, timelines, and indicators to measure any meaningful improvements in quality of life.
The response is part of a growing political clash as parties ramp up campaigning ahead of the September 1 General and Regional Elections. While President Ali is highlighting infrastructure expansion, food security programmes, and the long-promised Gas-to-Energy project as tools to lift people out of poverty, APNU says Guyanese are seeing the opposite, declining living standards, rising prices, and frustration among citizens.
“For most Guyanese, the last five years have brought worsening conditions,” APNU claimed. “There’s growing income and food poverty, and national despair is spreading.”
APNU Pushes Alternative Strategy
In contrast, the opposition is pitching what it calls a “people-centred development strategy” that promises a livable income for all households and a living wage for all workers by the end of its first term, if elected. The coalition says it will achieve this through a mix of job creation, tax relief, direct cash transfers, subsidies for essential household needs, and greater investment in small to large businesses.
According to APNU, the plan will not only put more money into people’s hands but also create a stronger, demand-driven economy that can sustain long-term growth and economic security.
The party also hinted at a more detailed rollout of its proposals at the upcoming launch of its manifesto.
Data-Driven Development, the APNU Way
In a further swipe at the PPP/C’s record, the opposition is also promising to modernise the Bureau of Statistics to improve the quality of public data used for policymaking. It argues that progress in key sectors like healthcare and social services should be measured with real, quantifiable benchmarks, such as patient load per doctor or average waiting times.
Beyond the numbers, APNU says it is committed to building an “opportunity society” grounded in equity, social justice, and improved governance, including better management of ethnic relations and stronger alignment with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
The gloves are clearly off. With less than five weeks to go before voters head to the polls, poverty and economic hardship are dominating the national conversation. President Ali has promised that his party’s next term will focus on lifting more families out of hardship, using oil revenue to fund long-term national development.
