Faculty of Engineering for Leonora – Ali announces at massive Region Three rally

Incumbent President Dr Irfaan Ali has announced that the next People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government will establish a University of Guyana (UG) Faculty of Engineering at Leonora, West Coast Demerara (WCD).
“Today, some young kids came to me and they said we applied to do civil engineering at the University of Guyana, but they were told that they are out of seats… I said nonsense! We will build the seats in the TVET (Technical and Vocational Education and Training) Centre at Leonora and give you a Faculty of Engineering right here,” Ali told residents of Region Three this evening.

He was at the time addressing supporters at a massive PPP/C Elections Rally held at Stewartville, WCD. According to Ali, who is seeking a second term in office at the upcoming September 1 elections, “No longer must ‘no’ be the answer for the children of our country. We will break every barrier to give them the opportunity they want [so that] they can be the best they want to be.”
This announcement comes on the heels of the incumbent leader recently revealing plans to establish a UG Medical College at the newly commissioned Tuschen Secondary School. UG currently offers about 17 programmes in its College of Medical Sciences and since the Government made it tuition-free to study at the institution, there have been hundreds of applications.
Ali revealed that over 200 of those applications are from Region Three and as such, to ensure no applicant is denied the opportunity to pursue their education, the decision was taken to make the Tuschen Secondary School a dual-purpose facility.
The school was constructed to the tune of $930 million and would accommodate 800 students, consists of 24 classrooms, scientific and research centres, a multi-purpose hall and cafeteria and a library.
“No one will tell you that there are not enough seats at the University. We will invest in those seats so your children will be the doctors, the lab technicians, the dental technicians, the biochemists – whatever they want to do, they can do right here in Region Three,” Ali declared at Sunday’s rally.
Turning to the wider elections campaign, Ali underscored that the PPP/C was offering not just promises, but a proven record of delivery. He contrasted the Government’s record of creating jobs, supporting farmers, and expanding education with what he described as the “hardship and neglect” under the former A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) Administration.
Since assuming office in August 2020, the PPP/C Government has invested heavily on major technological advancements that rely on engineering. The first being the Wales Gas-to-Energy (GtE) Project, which includes a 300-megawatt (MW) power plant and a Natural Gas Liquids (NGL) facility, is already under construction. Once operational, it is expected to supply sufficient cooking gas to meet domestic demand and reduce costs for households. In fact, building on this, the PPP/C’s 2025-20230 manifesto outlines plan for a second Wales-based GtE Project, also with a capacity of up to 300-MW, designed to meet future electricity demand. Beyond Wales, the Government intends to monetise additional offshore gas reserves by developing a major industrial complex in Berbice. This could include power generation for export markets, supported by integration with a deepwater port, new road and bridge infrastructure and potential rail links to northern Brazil.