PORT KAITUMA, REGION ONE – It was no polite Sunday meeting. On August 7, 2025, APNU Coalition Prime Ministerial Candidate Juretha Fernandes rolled into Port Kaituma and lit up the campaign trail with a fiery takedown of the ruling PPP — accusing them of “feeding friends, family, and favourites” while ordinary Guyanese in the hinterland are left to struggle.
In front of an energetic crowd, Fernandes made a bold pledge: an APNU-led government will create a Development Bank to break the monopoly on public contracts and open doors for small contractors and entrepreneurs. She said this would stop local businesses from being forced into cut-throat subcontracting deals that benefit only the politically connected.
But she didn’t stop there. Fernandes zeroed in on one of the biggest frustrations in Region One — sky-high transportation costs. Flights to Georgetown cost a small fortune, and shipping cargo often leaves shop owners raising prices just to survive.
Her solution? Bring back Guyana Airways. She said Opposition Leader Aubrey Norton has already committed to reviving the once-beloved national airline to slash fares, cut freight costs, and bring down the price of goods.“Policies matter,” she told residents. “Who’s in government determines how hard you have to work and what your dollar can buy.”
Then came the jab that got the loudest reaction — her attack on the PPP’s road projects. Fernandes called them “wasteful and slapdash,” claiming they barely last through a rainy season. She reminded the crowd that APNU-AFC built sturdy, long-lasting roads without oil money and promised that with oil revenues now flowing, her party would multiply those achievements tenfold.
“We built roads without oil money; with oil money, we’ll build ten times more,” she declared, vowing strict transparency and efficiency in spending.
Fernandes also framed the election as a fight for fairness, accusing the PPP of hoarding wealth for a select few. She urged Port Kaituma to send a message on September 4: “Vote like you care. Let’s make the oil money work for everyone — not just the ones in the government’s inner circle.”
As night fell over the mining town, residents left with her words ringing in their ears. For some, it was the kind of promise they’ve been waiting years to hear. For others, it was just another campaign speech in a country where the real test comes after the votes are counted.
