APNU’s Juretha Fernandes Urges Youth to Reject Abstention, Demand Better Future
By Antonio Dey | HGP Nightly News
On September 1, 2025, at a public meeting in Pleasant, East Coast Demerara, Juretha Fernandes, the prime ministerial candidate for A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), dismissed the notion that young people should abstain from voting. Addressing a large crowd of supporters, Fernandes urged youths to critically evaluate Guyana’s governance structure and question whether their future is secure under the current administration.
“When we talk about corruption, we’re talking about young lives being lost,” Fernandes told the gathering, stressing that corruption undermines opportunities and dignity for ordinary citizens. She highlighted that under the David Granger-led APNU+AFC government (2015–2020), the minimum wage increased by 77%, moving from $39,540 to $70,000 without oil and gas resources.
She further noted that in 2019, public servants earning below $100,000 received a 9% increase, while those earning between $100,000 and $1 million benefited from an 8.5% salary hike, arguing that the administration prioritized working-class people.
By contrast, Fernandes accused the current government of sidelining youths despite overseeing a trillion-dollar economy. “They come to your communities, look at the young people, and the only thing they could give you is a drain-cleaning contract. That is disrespectful,” she declared.
Her remarks were reinforced by Lloyd Famey, another young APNU advocate, who addressed youths in Cuthbert’s Mission. Fae emphasized that every decision in life is linked to politics, urging young people to vote for policies and programs that will stimulate economic growth, end victimization in the public service, and help lift them out of poverty.
