In a recent press interaction, People’s Progressive Party (PPP) General Secretary Bharrat Jagdeo vehemently refuted allegations that his party spent GY$5 billion on its campaign for the September 1 general and regional elections. Labeling the claim as a ‘blatant lie,’ Jagdeo asserted that the PPP’s expenditure was only slightly higher than the GY$300 million reportedly spent by the opposition coalition, A Partnership for National Unity (APNU). He emphasized, ‘We didn’t spend much more than APNU, so let that be your guide.’ When questioned about the potential advantages of incumbency, Jagdeo countered that such benefits were also utilized by the previous APNU+Alliance For Change administration, including the use of a Guyana Defence Force (GDF) helicopter by then-President David Granger. Jagdeo also addressed concerns about access to publicly-funded state media, questioning how it could have disadvantaged opponents financially. He highlighted the PPP’s strategic shift to a digital campaign, citing its cost-effectiveness compared to traditional newspaper advertising. ‘We didn’t advertise in the newspapers much. Nobody reads the newspapers, and our digital campaign cost us an unbelievably low sum,’ he stated. Jagdeo further noted that the PPP’s 2025 campaign spending was significantly lower than in 2020, when the party heavily invested in high-priced newspaper ads. The PPP General Secretary criticized the media for not disclosing the source of the GY$5 billion claim, stating, ‘That’s what people do, they hide behind sources. If I was to come here every time and hide behind a source, then we would never find the truth.’ International election observer missions have previously raised concerns about the PPP’s incumbency advantage, but Jagdeo dismissed these as unfounded.
GY$5 billion PPP election campaign spending “a blatant lie” – PPP General Secretary
