APNU takes campaign to Bare Root and Essequibo

Aug 05, 2025 News

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…promises land for public servants, better road contracts

Kaieteur News – A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) over the weekend continued its campaign trail with public meetings held in Queenstown on the Essequibo Coast and Bare Root, East Coast Demerara (ECD).

During these engagements, the party made several pledges should it be elected to office, including the distribution of land to all public servants and better road contracts given to small contractors.

At the Bare Root meeting on Sunday, APNU candidate Dr. David Hinds strongly criticized the current administration, particularly for its treatment of public servants, noting that they have endured meagre salary increases despite years of protests.

Hinds announced that, in addition to a proposed 35% salary increase, an APNU-led government would ensure every public servant receives a piece of land for housing, farming, or as financial security.

“We are talking about giving monies that belong to you so that we can get rid of poverty. Many of you are public servants… and for the last 26 years this government have been given y’all 8%, 7%. Other categories of workers gone pass y’all. Sugar harvesters are working for more than teachers and they don’t have to strike. We will lobby this government that the money that is owed to teachers and other public servants, we will lobby the government to give each public servant a piece of land in lieu of the money owed to them of that money,” Hinds told the crowd.

He emphasized that land could be used for personal housing, farming, or as collateral for loans, adding, “If you want it in house lot, we give you the house lots, if you want it to go and farm, we give you to go and farm, if you want it as security, you can go to the bank and get it. If we give each public servant a piece of land, nobody can look at that and said ‘you didn’t do nothing for we’,” Hinds said.

Urging supporters to vote wisely on September 1, Hinds said, “Do not waste your vote, do not spoil your vote, do not split your vote, and do not sell your vote. It’s one vote you have and that vote represents more than just an ‘X’; it reflects your dignity, strength that vote represents something that goes deep into our history and our culture.”

Hinds emphasized that APNU is committed to addressing poverty, calling it a “sin” that leads many young people down destructive paths. “The APNU intends to tackle poverty, reduce it and ultimately get rid of it. Poverty is a sin. It entices a lot of our young people to do things that they would not normally do and so if we get rid of poverty, we will be getting rid of a big sin and one of the ways you get rid of poverty is to put clean money, proper money into the hands of the poor,” he said.

APNU’s Presidential Candidate Aubrey Norton also addressed attendees, pledging that under his leadership, small contractors would receive proper contracts and training. He criticized the quality of existing government contracts and promised to empower young people with skills to earn a living.
“As a political party we will train the young people so that they can have the skills to earn a living. The constitution of Guyana provides for 25% of all contracts to go to small contractors. I want to make this pledge to you we will train you to undertake contracts and when we give you a contract it will be a proper contract,” Norton said.

Adding to the message of governance accountability, one of APNU’s youngest and newest candidates, attorney-in-waiting Eden Corbin, addressed first-time voters by emphasizing that roads and bridges should not be seen as progress, but rather as basic responsibilities of the government in its duty to serve the people.

“A government is supposed to build roads. So, you can’t build a road and throw a party for yourself for the road that you are supposed to build. That is what the government is elected to do, to serve the people. The people need a bridge, you build the bridge, if the people need a better access road, you build the access road, if the people need cash grants, you give them cash grants but you do not do what you are supposed to do and praise yourself for doing that. That is how they disrespect us. And you are going to say that that is progress, that is stupidity and backwardness,” Corbin stated.

Meanwhile, in Queenstown, APNU candidate and long-time resident Morris Walcott accused the current government of side lining the community, particularly through the closure of the village office and the placement of a dumpsite in a highland area near streams that feed into local canals. “Despite our protest to keep the office, they ignored us. Our farmers are affected, Cows drink the water and we could get water born disease. They did not pay any mind. Our queries go unheeded,” Walcott said.

Walcott urged residents to make September 1 a turning point, adding, “They have treated us badly for four years. They didn’t love you four, five years can they love you now? Don’t be stupid, I am speaking to you as a community leader, pay attention to our call. The APNU have great plans for you,” Walcott said.

Also speaking at the Queenstown meeting was first-time voter and daughter of Peoples National Congress Reform (PNCR) Chairman Sherwayne Holder. The young woman highlighted shortcomings in the education system, arguing it fails to prepare youth for real-life challenges. “We are still being taught how to pass exams but not how to navigate the job market and not learning how to budget, how to network, build a business and apply for grant,” she said.
She also noted that education opportunities should not be reserved for a few, stating, “Progress should reach the student in Berbice who wants to become an engineer, an artist in Linden who dreams of putting Guyanese culture on the world map and young women in Essequibo who wants to build a business and not take orders from someone else.”

She further criticized the government for ignoring students who failed to pass five CSEC subjects, especially in Queenstown, stating, “That’s why some of us are being left behind. And that is what the ‘One Guyana’ the government Is talking about while overlooking thousands more.”

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• APNU, Bare Root, Elections, Essequibo, Promises, Road contracts

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