Dear Editor,
I listened with great interest, and even greater concern to Mr. Bharrat Jagdeo’s recent remarks about housing in Linden under the Coalition Government. He made these claims first on the Afternoon Lockdown Show on HJ 94.1 FM on Monday, August 4, 2025, and then again at the PPP/C rally in Bath, West Coast Berbice, on Sunday, August 10, 2025. His comments were not just misleading; they were a blatant attempt to rewrite history for political gain.
Here are the facts. Under the Coalition Government, despite inheriting a struggling economy and without a cent of oil revenue, hundreds of house lots were allocated in Linden, infrastructure was developed, and partnerships were forged to make affordable housing a reality. This was done with fairness and without discrimination, even in areas the PPP/C considers political opposition strongholds.
Today, the PPP/C sits on billions in oil revenues, yet their so-called “low-income” houses are of shockingly poor quality. Many remain unoccupied, and many are built below standard, putting homeowners at a serious disadvantage. I have attached photographs of houses in Amelia’s Ward, Linden (built under the Coalition Government in 2017) and Great Diamond, EBD (built under the PPP/C in 2021–2022) so the public can judge for themselves.
It is hypocritical and dishonest for Mr. Jagdeo to downplay the Coalition’s achievements while peddling falsehoods about our record. The truth is stubborn: the Coalition delivered fairer, better-quality housing without oil money, while the PPP/C delivers substandard homes despite unprecedented oil wealth.
Rather than twisting the past, the PPP/C should get serious about providing Guyanese with dignified, well-planned communities, housing that reflects our oil economy, not an insult to it. Guyanese deserve better than propaganda wrapped in cheap concrete.
Yours truly,
Annette Ferguson
