Former Mayor of Georgetown, Pt. Ubraj Narine, continued his grassroots outreach in a recent visit to the Skeldon Market in Corentyne, where he was met with raw emotion and frustration from vendors and farmers grappling with escalating hardship and dashed hopes under the ruling People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) government.
The visit, part of Narine’s countrywide listening campaign, brought him face-to-face with residents who did not mince words about the deteriorating conditions in their community.
Vendors described a daily struggle to survive amid skyrocketing prices, stagnant incomes, and what they say is a complete absence of meaningful government support.
“The cost of living is choking us,” one vendor said. “And the government that promised to care has vanished since election day.”
Farmers were equally vocal, decrying what they see as the systematic neglect of a sector once hailed as the country’s backbone. Many cited a sharp rise in input costs, limited access to markets, and a troubling lack of investment or assistance from the state.
But the most repeated grievance came in the form of a broken campaign promise — the PPP’s 2020 pledge to reopen the Skeldon Sugar Factory. Nearly five years later, the factory’s gates remain locked, its silence a stark reminder of what residents see as betrayal.
“That factory was our hope. It fed thousands of families,” said one elderly former worker. “They promised to bring it back. Where are they now?”
Narine, visibly moved by the testimonies, condemned the government’s inaction. “This is not just about politics. This is about people’s lives,” he said. “The people of Skeldon were promised hope, but instead, they got hardship. Shame on the PPP Government for betraying the very people they swore to uplift.”
He pledged to continue amplifying the voices of communities like Skeldon across the country and to fight for policies rooted in real relief, accountability, and development—not empty promises.
The Skeldon stop is part of a broader national outreach effort by Narine, who has been touring various markets and farming communities, engaging directly with citizens on the ground. His message remains consistent: Guyanese deserve a government that works for them, not against them.
