‘We are going to lead with the people’ – President Ali tells Mocha Arcadia residents

Upholding that his administration is in service to all of Guyana, President, Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali on Sunday shut down efforts by the opposition to stymie development of the people with its continuous political grandstanding.

The president was in the Mocha Arcadia community to commission the rehabilitated $59 million Burnham Boulevard, a road said to have been in a deplorable state for over 50 years.

Though directed by political elements to boycott the meeting, residents of the East Bank Demerara community filled the auditorium of the Mocha Arcadia Primary School to hear from the head of state and the plans his government has for the community.

Dr. Ali bid residents to “determine where your life wants to go,” and not be bugged down by the mischievous influence of the opposition. He sent a stern message that his intention is to ensure everyone is part of the journey of development.

“I am working with everyone…. but most importantly, the people are coming along with me on this journey. I am not going to let any bureaucracy anywhere in this country stop me from bringing the people along with me. No bureaucracy, nowhere will stop me. I will go, I will target and I will approach the people and I will bring the people and lift them up and lead them because the people of this country require leadership, the people of this country want us lead and we are going to lead with the people, that is what we are going lead with the people. Leave the politics out of this. Let the people work with us on the development of the people,” the president asserted to loud applause.

He said further, “I am here as the President of Guyana and I dare not take my eyes and pass these people and tell them that their life is controlled by the PPP Government. Never, no body must tell you that. Your life is controlled by you.

“We have a choice to make in this country, and that choice must always be defined by facts. It must not be defined by sensational thought, it must not be defined by mischief, it must not be defined by divisive commentary, it must be defined by understanding the problem and working in a structured way to solve the problem.”

Dr. Ali said citizens have no other choice but to love each other and build the country together. A failure to do such will be to “throw the future out the window,” a move he said, will be detrimental to the nation’s children.

“We must not lock ourselves out of these opportunities by subjecting ourselves to narrow thinking. I am not here to tell you that I want you to vote for the PPP. I am here to tell you that I want all of you to benefit from the PPP in government.”

He said, “now is the time for development and we will walk with you on the development path.”

“There are some in the society who are playing on the psychological aspect of people and that must stop. That takes us nowhere as a people. Let us think for ourselves, let us advance our community, le us put our community first, our family first, our country first,” he pleaded.