Dear Editor,
It’s now three years since the People’s Progressive Party/Civic is back in the leadership of our beautiful country. This, of course, was made possible by the will of the majority of the Guyanese people in the 2020 General and Regional Elections.
I was very confident that the PPP/C Administration would return to manage the affairs of Guyana. The youths in this country were not old enough to see the poor management of the country between 1964 and 1992, but had firsthand experience of the APNU-PNC/AFC’s poor management between 2015 and 2020.
Our people suffered, over 35,000 people lost their jobs directly or indirectly with the closing of the sugar, mining, forestry and agriculture industries, and over 200 taxes were placed on the backs of poor Guyanese. The $10,000 ‘Because We Care’ Cash Grant for school children, high tuition fees at the University of Guyana etc.
Let me take this opportunity to extend my gratitude, and to congratulate His Excellency President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali, Vice President Dr Bharrat Jagdeo, Hon Prime Minister Mark Phillips, Dr Ashni Singh, and other members of the Cabinet for the excellent management of our country Guyana, with the support of the Private Sector and the hard-working Guyanese people.
Dr Ali, you are a true democratic leader with a very good vision for developing Guyana; and with assistance from a good mentor, the experienced Dr Jagdeo, a highly recognized leader in the Caribbean and the world, we know Guyana is in good hands.
Reflecting from when you took office on August 2, 2020, when the world, including Guyana, was facing a serious pandemic – COVID-19 – millions of lives were lost. Guyana was also facing heavy rainfall, which caused flooding and destroyed large portions of crops in many Regions, and there was the high cost of living and the high rate of unemployment under the APNU/AFC Administration. This was a great test for the PPP/C Administration, and you have demonstrated professional leadership, not only to bring Guyana out of that crisis, but also to bring rapid transformation and development of our country.
There is a massive housing development in all 10 Regions, the preparation of Silica City on the Linden Highway, and the increase of potable water treatment plants. There is rapid road network upgrade in the city, towns, villages; there are farm-to-market roads and new highways. Construction of the new US$261M bridge across the Demerara River has commenced, and there is to be a new four-lane Wismar/Mackenzie bridge, and a bridge across the Corentyne River to link Guyana and Suriname.
The first phase of the US$190M dollar highway from Linden to Mabura, then to Lethem, which links Guyana and Brazil, has commenced. In the Health sector, 12 new hospitals will be built, and the existing hospitals and health centres will be improved.
Each person suffering from diabetes received $600,000 to assist in paying for dialysis, the return of the ‘Because We Care’ Cash grant, 20,000 Goal scholarships, expansion of the BIT training, free university tuition by 2025, and construction of new secondary and primary schools in the various regions.
In the agriculture sector there is rapid expansion – developing smart agriculture with the intervention of shade houses, expansion in various agricultural crops in the various regions, thousands of acres of soya beans and corn in the Intermediate Savannahs, an experiment in the cultivation of wheat and millet, expansion in the production of black water shrimp, and aquaculture, installation of several agro-processing plants for value-added products, the setting up of a new US$20 million dairy farm at Moblissa with the rearing of over 500 head of milking cows.
The reopening of closed sugar estates. The expansion of the bauxite industry at Linden with a new US$150 million kiln 15, which was recently commissioned, and the projected expansion of a Maz project.
The reopening of the Alumina Plant. Working towards the development of cheap energy in our country, so we can be competitive with our neighbours. As such, we will be building the 300MW Gas to Shore Plant, The 165 MW Amaila Hydro Project, and the development of solar farms in various regions. In Linden, a 15 MW solar farm will be set up by the Government and a 12MW one is to be constructed by Bosai.
With the return of the LCDS 2030, Guyana is the first country to receive carbon credits of US$750 million for the next 7 years. Our Indigenous people will benefit from 15% of this sum, which they are already receiving.
Massive improvement in ICT with the setting up of many call centres and ICT Hubs in rural areas. Expansion is also ongoing in the Tourism Sector with five new brand-name hotels under construction, and the development of eco-tourism.
With all the developments taking place, we are putting more of our people to work.
Now, with Guyana being an oil-producing country and with the rapid growth in our economy, we are presently rated as the fastest-growing economy in the world, and we are projected to grow by 25.1% for the next 3 years.
I am now convinced that Guyana will become the breadbasket of the Caribbean.
Dr Ali is a real transformational leader; he is leading this country to prosperity, and he leads by example. I believe that he should be congratulated by all Guyanese on the good work he is doing and working towards a One Guyana. The People’s Progressive Party/Civic has proven to be the best choice for Guyana and for the future of this country, and it’s a Government for all Guyanese.
Sincerely,
Andrew Forsythe
PPP/C Coordinator
Region #10
