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‘NO MORE BUYING CONTRACTS’: APNU PROMISES CLEAN BREAK FOR CONTRACTORS AND SMALL BUSINESSES

GEORGETOWN, Guyana – Contractors struggling to get fair access to government work without having to pay bribes got a direct message from APNU’s Prime Ministerial Candidate, Juretha Fernandes: help is on the way.

Speaking at the coalition’s campaign launch Sunday evening at the Square of the Revolution, Fernandes addressed contractors across various sectors, telling them that under an APNU government, they would no longer have to “buy contracts” or work in a system riddled with corruption.

“We acknowledge the contractors out there who had to buy a contract here and there,” she said. “We’re telling you that we will make your lives better. We will make sure that never again you have to do that. When you get a small contract, it’s going to be a real contract that you benefit from—and you won’t have to pay for it.”

Fernandes described the current public contracting system as a “cesspool for corruption,” accusing the government of creating an environment where only those who pay bribes or have connections get work. She said this has led to billions of dollars being lost—money that could have gone into critical services like health, education, and community development.

For many in Guyana’s small business and construction sector, these concerns are familiar. While the government has reported growth in the number of registered contractors, Fernandes claimed that many of these businesses are locked out unless they can “grease palms.”

“We will ensure that all of the work you do is done efficiently, because there will be such transparency,” she said. “Your small business will grow because you will have enough money to invest in it.”

Fernandes also pledged to double small business and other financial grants, saying that all categories of citizens—from contractors and entrepreneurs to senior citizens and Indigenous communities—must benefit equally from the country’s oil wealth.

“We’re not just talking about development for a few,” she added. “We’re going to create a system that gives your children a better life, gives our elderly a dignified future, and gives contractors and small businesses a fair chance.”

Positioning the APNU as a coalition that will prioritize fairness, transparency, and people-centered governance, Fernandes told the crowd the upcoming elections are about reclaiming trust in government and making the system work for ordinary Guyanese.

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