Former Georgetown Mayor Pt. Ubraj Narine has issued a fiery response to Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo’s June 15 article in the Guyana Chronicle, describing it as a “stunning display of political theatre” and accusing the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) of using propaganda to mask systemic failures and growing national despair.
In his article titled “PPP/C Restored What Was Lost”, Jagdeo touted his party’s return to power in 2020 as a turning point for Guyana, highlighting economic expansion, infrastructural development, and the return of social support programmes like the “Because We Care” school cash grant.
But Narine was unequivocal: “The only things the PPP/C government has truly restored are the very evils Guyanese fought for decades to overcome — electoral fraud, narco-trafficking, extrajudicial killings, institutional corruption, and the erosion of democracy.”
What Jagdeo Didn’t Say
While the Vice President celebrates the restoration of the cash grant for schoolchildren, what he omitted, journalistically speaking, is perhaps even more important. Jagdeo failed to acknowledge that under the previous A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) administration, Guyana had a far more comprehensive programme aimed at uplifting schoolchildren: the 5Bs Initiative — Buses, Bicycles, Boats, Books, and Breakfast.
This programme allowed tens of thousands of children, especially in hinterland and poor rural areas, to attend school without being burdened by daily economic hardship, saving families millions of dollars annually. And crucially, it was implemented in a non-oil economy, unlike today’s Guyana which boasts over US$17.6 billion in oil wealth.
Yet, despite this oil boom, at least half of Guyana’s children go to bed without three nutritious meals a day, and more than 50% of the population live below the poverty line, defined by the World Bank as earning less than US$5.50 per day.
Democracy and Security Under Siege
Narine also accused the PPP/C of corrupting Guyana’s electoral system, noting the lingering “stench of electoral manipulation,” interference in GECOM, and targeting of opposition voices.
“Democracy cannot thrive when the process is tainted, and trust in free and fair elections is at an all-time low,” he said.
Meanwhile, he pointed to an alarming rise in narco-trafficking, gang violence, and police brutality, where “young men, especially from poorer communities, are either victims of gang violence, killed in suspicious police encounters, or lured into crime because of hopelessness.”
According to Narine, the Guyana Police Force has become a tool of oppression, where corruption is unchecked and the poor are harassed while “friends of the regime enjoy impunity.”
Development for Whom?
While Jagdeo speaks of economic development, Narine contends it is only the elite who benefit, not the ordinary Guyanese.
“Land rights are ignored, resources are siphoned off by foreign companies, and public services are failing,” he said. “The real restoration is one of inequality, nepotism, and injustice.”
He also slammed the PPP/C for weaponising the media, silencing critics, and intimidating independent journalists and social media activists.
Divide-and-Rule Politics
Narine charged that the government thrives on divide-and-rule tactics, using race, civil society co-optation, and smear campaigns to maintain power.
“The PPP/C doesn’t uplift the working class — it weaponises their poverty,” he added.
Call to Action
As the 2025 elections approach, Narine urged citizens to see through the PPP/C’s rhetoric.
“What has truly been ‘restored’ is not prosperity or democracy — but fear, inequality, and helplessness,” he said. “It’s time to restore what truly matters: hope, fairness, freedom — and a government that serves the people, not itself.”
