Prime Minister Mark Phillips has called on residents of Region 10 to support the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), framing the upcoming September 1 elections as an opportunity for personal upliftment, economic empowerment, and self-development.
“This is time for you to vote for personal upliftment, time for you to vote for economic empowerment, time for you to vote for self-development,” Phillips told a large crowd gathered at Lieu-Ken-Pen Square in Wismar, Linden on Sunday evening.
The Prime Minister highlighted the PPP/C administration’s track record in the region, including major investments in education, infrastructure, and clean energy. Among these are the construction of a $2.66 billion Christianburg/Wismar Secondary School, expansion of the school feeding programme, and a $27 million contract for the establishment of a solar farm in Linden.
He also cited over $160 million spent on road upgrades and a $100,000 cash grant given to citizens. According to Phillips, these are part of the administration’s broader commitment to national development that benefits all regions. He argued that a PPP/C win in the upcoming elections would allow the government to take control of the Regional Democratic Council and accelerate the delivery of its economic plans for the area.
However, while the government has pointed to over $30 billion invested in Region 10 over the past four years, many residents continue to raise concerns about how those funds are translating into tangible improvements in their daily lives. Unemployment remains a major issue, especially for youth, and cost-of-living pressures continue to affect families across the region.
Critics of the government have welcomed the infrastructure projects but argue that economic empowerment must go beyond construction. Some have called for more targeted investment in job creation, agriculture, small business support, and skills training—areas where many residents feel they have seen limited progress.
Linden has long been a stronghold of the opposition, and some voters are wary of the PPP/C’s push to gain ground in the region. Others, however, including former APNU parliamentarian Jermaine Figueira, have publicly broken ranks with the opposition and are now backing the PPP/C, citing the government’s development approach.
With less than a month to the elections, voters in Region 10 are weighing the government’s promises against what has already been delivered. For some, the decision may come down to whether the PPP/C’s investments have laid the groundwork for future opportunity—or whether the region still needs a more direct and immediate approach to economic development.
