By Mark DaCosta- On Sunday, June 11, ahead of local government elections (LGE) today, the Mayor of Georgetown Pandit Ubraj Narine went house to house interacting with Guyanese. Village Voice News joined Mayor Narine during the Alberttown / Queenstown leg of his meet and greet session.
This publication was struck by two remarkable facts: Mayor Narine – accompanied by the PNC candidate for the constituency, Mr. Phillip Drayton – were fearlessly walking along the streets with no security personnel. Also, this publication notes that the mayor had cordial, respectful, and friendly interactions with residents and passersby of all races, and political persuasions.
An amusing thing happened on Cummings Street near Church Street. A boy, probably about 13 years old, passed by on his bicycle. When he saw the green-shirted group of people, he popped a wheelie on his bike – in an apparent salute – and loudly shouted, “Good afternoon, Mayor Narine.” And then the boy rode past. It was quite amusing to watch Mayor Narine stop with his mouth open in surprise as the young man rode past.
Mayor Narine, after his walkabout, spoke to this publication before going off to a nearby church service.
The mayor made the following remarks regarding the cash grant to school children by the PPP regime:
“The cash grant is a good initiative, I love the fact that Guyanese will have a little extra money in their pockets, but it is not enough. Furthermore, I don’t like the fact that the cash grant is a political gimmick – it is not because the PPP regime cares about Guyanese – instead, the PPP is trying to buy votes, they are trying to buy your vote; you must not fall for that,” the mayor said.
“Take the money because that is not PPP money; it is your own money. Take it, and vote for a party that cares about you; vote for a party that will tackle crime; vote for a party that cares about the future of Guyana’s children; vote for the entire slate of PNCR candidates.”
Mayor Narine said, “Guyana is the only country in the Caribbean with so many resources; why are people suffering? Why are people begging? Why are my brothers and sisters struggling to make ends meet?”
Mayor Narine said that the only answer to those questions is the fact that Guyana’s resources are being mismanaged by a corrupt PPP cabal.
The Georgetown mayor said, “Oil money is flowing in; why can’t government giving a regular cash grant to every single child from the time they are born to the time they leave school?”
He repeated that this one-time cash grant is nothing more than an attempt to buy votes ahead of local government elections.
The mayor said that “Guyanese are not stupid; we will not be manipulated and fooled by the PPP.”
He said, “Guyanese must look at the big picture; we need to think about the kind of future that our children will have.”
Narine said, “We need a government that is focused on the development of people. We need a government with a vision. We need a government that will not line their pockets with the money that rightfully belong to taxpayers. I urge you to go out and vote for the PNCR candidate in your constituency. Your single voice: your single vote, can make the difference between prosperity and poverty for you and your children,” the mayor said.
