Cost of Living Crisis: APNU Prime Ministerial Candidate Slams PPP Over Rising Hardships
By Antonio Dey | HGP Nightly News
Although Guyana continues to be touted as one of the fastest-growing economies in the world, citizens say they are not feeling the benefits. Juretha Fernandes, the APNU prime ministerial candidate, has strongly criticized the government’s handling of the soaring cost of living, accusing the ruling People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) of neglecting the real needs of ordinary Guyanese.
“Cost of living is killing us,” Fernandes declared to thunderous applause at an APNU rally over the weekend. “Every man, woman and child is facing extreme price increases in the market. But guess what? The PPP doesn’t care.”
Fernandes, a former shadow finance minister, argued that while the government is spending heavily on infrastructure, human development is being ignored. She pointed to the growing number of unemployed or underemployed university graduates as a clear sign of poor planning.
“We have graduates working in jobs far below their qualifications because the government does not plan well. They are not efficient,” she said.
She further claimed that the economic policies implemented by the PPP favor their friends, families, and political insiders, while the broader population suffers under harsh conditions.
“Enough is enough. From then to now — 28 years in government — and nothing has changed,” Fernandes added.
In one of the sharpest criticisms of the night, she accused the government of kleptocracy, implying corruption and mismanagement of state resources.
“Kleptocracy means sticky fingers. It means when they issue a contract for a road, half the money ends up in someone’s pocket.”
As the September 1 general elections approach, Fernandes is urging voters to take stock of their current circumstances and consider whether their lives have genuinely improved under the current administration.
