NDP View: This is a Time for a Change

(Excerpt of Political Leader of the NDP, Dr. Godwin Friday’s Presentation at the Warm-up Rally Pt. 2)

We have in the New Democratic Party a bold plan that will transform the north of our country. You will hear more about the details as we go forward. But while the present government will present a few goodies here and there to win favour, we will introduce policies and programs to transform the economy in this part of our beautiful country.

The Northern Development Plan will take advantage of the rich experience of our people in agriculture and fishing and rebuild using modern means and methods. It will include a major thrust in tourism development to create new opportunities and livelihoods for the people here. This includes tourism facilities in Fancy, Owia, and Sandy Bay, as well as the development and improvement of sporting facilities, and enhanced access to healthcare services. No longer will the remoteness of the area be an excuse for less than equal treatment for the people in the north.

Our approach will be practical and balanced, paying attention to both economic growth and social development. In short, we aim to transform lives and living in the north. That is our commitment to you, because you deserve better.

Now, we are asking you to support the New Democratic Party, because we are the only vehicle that will bring change come the next general election. But I will tell you, there are things that you will benefit from immediately.

We talk about the first 60 days after we form government — within that time, life will be dramatically better for you.

The VAT, which is crushing you, will be reduced from 16% to 13%.

Public Assistance will be doubled.

We will pay a salary bonus to public servants.

We will reverse the draconian vaccine mandate, giving people back their jobs and benefits.


All of that will happen within the first 60 days of my government.

An NDP government will create a National Development Bank to invest in local businesses, boost exports, and create jobs. We will also generate prosperity by building on the four pillars of the economy — agriculture, tourism, the blue economy, and the new economy — to increase exports, create jobs, and deliver more money for our local people.

Also, an NDP government will create the Youth Guarantee Pledge you heard about to help our young people. Either you get a job, or you have an opportunity to enter a training program free of cost that will help you find a job. And if you don’t, then we will have an apprenticeship program that puts you in a job for a year so that you gain experience and can secure better employment. This is for our young people.

The NDP government will reintroduce the National Athletes Program to help our emerging talented athletes develop their skills and abilities and find better opportunities for themselves as they grow older.

We will create a National Investment Program in our roads, hard courts, community infrastructure, and playing fields across the country to create better opportunities for our people. We will invest in national projects such as a National Centre for Culture, a National Innovation Hub, and other key initiatives which will enrich our lives and create opportunities for our citizens.

The NDP government will also create a Constituency Development Fund for each constituency to ensure that local projects are supported directly.

And there is more: the NDP government will implement a National Health Insurance Scheme to enable all of our people to have basic healthcare coverage — so that when you get sick, you don’t have to walk around with a sponsor sheet. You will have access to timely care under our new plan.

To our young people — the NDP is the party for you. If this is your first election, I urge you to get out there and make your voices heard. Make your first vote count. Make a vote for change. You have it in your hands to deliver a better future for yourselves, your friends, your parents, and your families.

I am relying on you to make it better for all of us by voting for change.

My friends, we will win! We will win if we show determination and fight for what we believe in. But remember this: the fight is not against your neighbours, no matter who they voted for. The fight is not against people you may not like. The fight is against the ULP government. They are the ones who have brought this country to the state it’s in — and they are the ones who need to go.

And I end by urging you to remember this, especially during this time of national independence celebrations: We are one country. We are one people. It is not “us or them,” it is “all ah we.”

Every single person in this country will be better off under an NDP government — that is a promise I will not break.

Together, we will build an economy where farmers, fisherfolk, and businesses big and small can thrive and create jobs for our people.
Together, we will raise productivity so that we can raise wages, and people can have better pay and look after their families.
Together, we will deliver better main roads, village roads, and agriculture feeder roads so that farmers can do their work effectively.
Together, we will invest in better playing fields and sporting facilities for the development of our young people.