GEORGETOWN, GUYANA – As Guyana edges toward general elections, the ruling People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) has begun unveiling its manifesto under the banner “Guyana Version 2.0,” outlining a policy roadmap that promises widespread homeownership, job creation, improved healthcare, and free university education.
The document, which blends continuity with expansion, seeks to consolidate the party’s oil-fuelled development record while offering new social and economic incentives to secure another term in office.
At the heart of the manifesto is a bold housing agenda: the allocation of 80,000 house lots, a significant increase over the party’s 2020 pledge.
The government has already committed over $112 billion to housing infrastructure, with tax waivers on construction materials, increased mortgage ceilings, and targeted subsidies to low-income applicants and first-time homeowners.
“This is not just about delivering homes, it’s about building equity and lifting families,” President Irfaan Ali said at a recent public meeting in Region Four.
The manifesto outlines a series of interventions aimed at easing the cost of living and expanding economic participation. The government pledges to maintain the reversal of over 200 tax measures implemented under the previous administration, including VAT on water, electricity, medicine, farming equipment, and building materials.
There are also commitments to introduce differentiated tax regimes for small businesses and to expand access to financing through regional development funds. But the PPP/C’s economic pitch is not solely rooted in oil revenues.
The manifesto outlines plans to create tens of thousands of jobs across regions through the establishment of call centres, a cereal processing plant, agro-processing hubs, and even a semiconductor assembly facility.
The party is also proposing investment vehicles for small investors to buy into the oil and gas sector with as little as $50,000. In education, the PPP/C has restated its commitment to providing 20,000 online scholarships and offering free university education during the next five-year term.
While no specific timeline was given, senior government officials indicated that the programme could begin as early as 2027. Investments in trained teachers, early childhood services, and digitized classrooms are also included.
On healthcare, the party’s proposals include the construction of a 100-bed hospital on the East Bank of Demerara and new regional hospitals in remote communities such as Port Kaituma.
The plan also outlines the development of polyclinics equipped with X-rays, eye care, and dental services, alongside a new National Ambulance Authority staffed by trained paramedics.
In terms of infrastructure, the government has promised to continue work on the gas-to-energy project and hydropower development, improve secondary and arterial roads, and build out telemedicine services in hinterland communities.
There is also a renewed focus on water access, with a target of increasing treated water coverage from 50 percent to 75 percent by 2028. Pensioners and low-income families are central to the party’s social agenda. The manifesto boasts a doubling of the old-age pension to $41,000 over the last term and promises further increases.
Programmes like the “Because We Care” grant and joint services bonuses, which were restored by the current administration, are also expected to continue.In a departure from previous campaigns, the party has said the full version of its manifesto will be finalised after a round of nationwide consultations with citizens.
General Secretary Bharrat Jagdeo recently described the approach as “more inclusive,” noting that development priorities must reflect the aspirations of the broader public.Still, critics have questioned the feasibility of some proposals, particularly those related to job creation and energy diversification.
Opposition parties are expected to release their own manifestos in the coming weeks, setting the stage for a competitive race. The 2025 elections are set for September 1. Until then, the PPP/C appears set on framing its record as proof of delivery and its manifesto as a promise to finish what it started.
