Dear Editor,
It can be said that Guyana’s 9th Executive President, Dr. Irfaan Ali, is blessed not because he was elected to the highest office, but because of having Prime Minister Brigadier Mark Phillips and the experienced former President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo and a devoted cabinet.
Since assuming office in 2020, President Ali has done an amazing job of maintaining peace and stability in the country, and has rallied the nation to support his policies despite fierce criticism. His success is one for the history books.
He is a prodigious President who is doing everything to develop Guyana, improve the lives of the masses, and make Guyana the envy of not only the Caribbean and its neighbours in Latin America, but to the rest of the world.
President Ali’s strong leadership has positioned Guyana as the regional and global leader on food security, renewable energy, and climate change, all of which could wreak havoc on the world’s economy, especially those in the Global South (Third World or underdeveloped countries).
He has taken Guyana to new heights never seen or heard of before. No one knows what the future holds, but, in a short span of time, Dr. Ali could be considered one of the most successful Presidents, and there has never been any real doubt that the country’s youthful President would lead Guyana to the “promised” land.
However, President Ali’s success can be credited to Prime Minister Brigadier Mark Phillips, Vice President Dr. Jagdeo, and his cabinet. As the former chief of staff of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) from 2013 to 2016, Brigadier Phillips transition from being a non-politician to a politician and Prime Minister was effortless. His progression seems natural and real, especially since he has risen to the occasion, accepted his responsibilities and has so far performed brilliantly.
Brigadier Phillips was an excellent choice as the second in command and since his inauguration as Prime Minister he has unequivocally supported President Ali’s policies to advance the economic, social, and political interests of the nation. He is creative, innovative, original, and inspirational as a leader.
Vice President Jagdeo needs no introduction because is well known. After serving as President for twelve years, Dr. Jagdeo is renowned for his mega projects and his development skills and as an economist.
Regarding education, since returning to the Ministry of Education in 2020, Ms. Priya Manickchand has done an outstanding job. She has transformed and modernized the education system to make courses available online. Such technological changes have significantly improved education and reduced school dropouts. Today, Guyana leads the Caribbean in higher grades at the Caribbean Council Examination (CXC).
In 2022, Guyana had the best performance in nine subjects with improvements in English, Math, Biology, Chemistry, and other science subjects. Much to her credit, Ms. Manickchand and her team are in the process of streamlining and transforming the education system, and they are doing an excellent job.
With Ministers Colin Croal and Suzanne Rodrigues at the helm, the Ministry of Housing and Water has performed superbly since 2020. They have distributed more than 20,000 house lots across the country, established 44 new housing schemes, upgraded infrastructure in 43 existing housing schemes, reduced settlements from 19 to 13, and built more than 1000 houses.
In this period, several new wells have been drilled, thus making potable water more accessible to the people, especially those in the rural areas of the country. Both Ministers have promised much more in the future. Kudos to them.
Even with huge oil resources, development will take place in Guyana without new and modern infrastructure which is the hallmark of the Ministry of Public Works. Headed by Ministers Bishop Juan Edghill and Mr. Deodat Indar, the Ministry has constructed more than 1000 roads, awarded hundreds of contracts, and facilitated training programme for local contractors.
The Ministry has embarked on major transformational projects, including building of the new four-lane Demerara River Bridge, and is in the process of establishing an alternative route to the Cheddi Jagan Airport, and modernize the modes of transportation, among other things. So far so good.
In the area of agriculture, the Ministry of Agriculture has demonstrated its commitment to the development of the agriculture sector by reopening the closed sugar estates and increasing rice production. With support from President Ali, Minister Zulfikar Mustapha has invested heavily in rice, livestock, and cash crops across the country to cushion the impact of food shortage and the high cost of living.
The Ministry has also made some strategic investment in the sugar industry, with the ultimate objective to produce more value-added products for domestic and international markets and to make GuySuCo solvent in the not-too-distant future. Minister Mustapha has been proactive in rationalizing the cost structures and diversifying the sugar sales mix to maximize earnings. According to the Minister, the Rose Hall Factory is scheduled to reopen in October.
Congratulations to Minister Mustapha and his team. Today Guyanese are living in a period of rapid technological and scientific change, and President Ali, Prime Minister Brigadier Mark Phillips and the cabinet are dedicated and committed to educate the masses, improve health care, eradicate the disease of poverty and homelessness, heal the racial divide, promote the “One Guyana initiative” and move the country forward.
Sincerely,
Dr Asquith Rose
