Bath, Region Five — At the lively “Road to Victory” rally held Sunday, PPP/C General Secretary and Vice President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo framed the party’s campaign ahead of the September 1 elections as more than a political contest. It is, he told thousands of supporters, a confrontation against racism and criminality, not merely rival political platforms.
Jagdeo emphasized the PPP/C’s record, pointing to its resilience in fulfilling its 2020 promises amid challenges like the COVID-19 pandemic. He contrasted this with what he described as the opposition’s lack of credible policy. “In this election, we are not fighting parties with policies.
We are fighting two things—racism and criminality,” he said. He called out the coalition of APNU, AFC, Forward Guyana, and the ALP as functionally the “same old APNU,” accusing them of using division and fear to sway Afro-Guyanese communities. Many, he added, had initially doubted they would benefit from government initiatives, influenced by long-standing anti-PPP narratives.
Jagdeo also targeted the newly formed WIN party and its leader Azruddin Mohamed, whom he described as embroiled in legal woes. Mohamed, a sanctioned U.S. businessman, is now facing court proceedings for alleged misdeclarations related to a Lamborghini and linked to accusations of massive gold-duty evasion and bribery. Jagdeo warned that what Mohamed presents as popularity—paying for event attendees and photographs—is misleading, and that supporting him could endanger voters.
Adding his own counterpoint, Prime Minister Mark Phillips accused the opposition of hypocrisy—promising free utilities now, despite their earlier introduction of VAT on water and electricity. It was a refrain echoed by Jagdeo as well, who highlighted that those accusing the PPP/C of racism and criminality have themselves faced similar allegations.
In recent years, the PPP/C has faced criticism for hypocrisy in several areas—such as handling of oil revenues and cash grants—accusations the party regularly disputes. Jagdeo’s remark at the rally—though pointed—reflects this broader narrative tension.
As cheers rose around him, Jagdeo reassured the crowd: “When you vote for the PPP, you are voting to continue what we started in 2020.” He appealed to unity across race, region, and creed, declaring that the opposition’s narrative of fear won’t stand.
After September 1, he predicted, the only durable presence in Guyanese politics will be the PPP/C. The PPP/C is shaping this election as a moral and political crusade. They present themselves as the defenders of progress and inclusivity, casting opponents as divisive, fearful, or even criminally compromised. Whether that framing will sway voters in the weeks ahead remains to be seen.
