Dear Editor,
As we mark four years of President Dr Irfaan Ali’s leadership of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government, it is an ideal moment to reflect on the remarkable progress our country has made since the tumultuous 2020 General and Regional Elections.
A good starting point is the challenges Dr Ali and the PPP/C faced during those elections, and the eventual triumph of democracy, which marked a crucial period in our nation’s democratic history.
The People’s National Congress Reform-led A Partnership for National Unity-Alliance For Change coalition’s numerous attempts to manipulate the election results, although naked and ugly, were thwarted by the steadfastness of the PPP/C. Under the leadership of Dr. Irfaan Ali and then-General Secretary-now-Vice President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, democracy prevailed.
The APNU-AFC’s actions, including attempts to falsify vote counts and illegal declarations of the election results, threatened the very foundation of our democracy. The international community, the PPP/C, and dozens of countries and leaders’ unwavering efforts to highlight these irregularities led to increased scrutiny and pressure. The relentless efforts and vigilance of the PPP/C and the international community safeguarded the democratic rights of Guyanese citizens, culminating in Dr Irfaan Ali being sworn-in as President on August 2, 2020.
Support from the international community and CARICOM during the five-month electoral impasse, including the recount process, was pivotal in preserving our democracy.
The list of achievements of President Ali’s government is exhaustive, and would require significant space in the newspapers to detail fully. I will therefore attempt to highlight only some of those achievements below.
Upon assuming office, President Ali’s administration skillfully and successfully navigated the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic which gripped the world. His government’s success in responding to major floods that nearly crippled agriculture is also noteworthy from the onset of his presidency. Under his leadership, the sector has been turned around, with massive crop diversification, the infusion of technology, and increased youth involvement in hydroponics and shade house technologies.
His ambitious “25 by 2025” policy aims to reduce the Caribbean’s food import bill, showcasing his commitment to regional food security.
The PPP/C’s successful programme to sell carbon credits, which has already yielded hundreds of millions of US dollars in revenue and preserved our standing forest under the Low Carbon Development Strategy 2030 (LCDS 2030), has gained significant global traction and commendation. This initiative underscores the government’s dedication to sustainable development and environmental conservation.
Under President Ali, Guyana has witnessed a remarkable transformation in various sectors. The government has increased salaries for public servants and has increased pensions and public assistance, while implementing policies to alleviate poverty and generate wealth.
The infrastructure landscape has been transformed with the construction of hundreds of kilometres of new four-lane highways on the East Coast, East Bank, and West Coast of Demerara; the long-awaited new Demerara River crossing, and thousands of community roads.
The massive housing programme has already seen distribution of over 30,000 house lots and houses in the low, middle, and high-income brackets, as well as young professional homes. President Ali’s promise of housing for 50,000 families by 2025 is well on target.
The prudent management of the oil and gas sector, despite the lopsided contract signed by the APNU-AFC while in power, is commendable.
The almost 30,000 Guyanese benefitting from the GOAL Scholarship programme, with thousands already graduating, is a testament to the government’s commitment to education. The President’s promise of 20,000 scholarships in five years has already been exceeded by close to 10,000.
The PPP/C government’s massive investment in education includes new schools, making university education free by 2025, the write-off of thousands of student loans, the reinstatement and increase of the “Because We Care” cash grant for school-aged children, the expansion of the national school feeding programme, the uniform grant, smart classrooms, and internet connectivity in many schools, including those in the hinterland.
The health sector has also seen substantial investments to improve the quality of primary healthcare, modernise the sector with new technology, and finance specialised care. This includes government-financed chemotherapy, the construction of several specialised regional hospitals, and a dedicated children’s and maternity hospital.
President Ali has worked tirelessly to rebuild Guyana’s global image after the horrors of the attempts to rig the 2020 elections. His leadership has garnered many accolades and awards, attracting hundreds of investors who have confidence in the management of our economy.
The “One Guyana” vision has been instrumental in unifying the nation, promoting inclusivity and national cohesion.
The government has created tens of thousands of new jobs through policies that expand the private sector in construction, services, agriculture, oil and gas, manufacturing, and other sectors. Thousands of Guyanese, many of them youths, are becoming entrepreneurs and receiving business support, including financing. The prudent management of the economy and the creation of wealth for Guyanese, such as the increase in mortgage lending and the reduction of mortgage interest rates, have led to increased home ownership and wealth creation. These are but a few of the many achievements of this Government.
As we continue on this path of progress, it is imperative that we remain vigilant in protecting our democratic values, and work collectively towards a prosperous and unified Guyana.
I hail President Ali and his PPP/C government for breathing new life into the hope and confidence of citizens after five years of disastrous governance under the APNU-AFC, which left our country in ruins in every sector. Mr President, I congratulate you and your cabinet of ministers for a job well done. Continue to lead with distinction, as there are exciting times ahead for our new and modern Guyana under your leadership and that of the PPP/C.
I urge all Guyanese to ignore the noises from elements who are enemies to progress and who want to divide our country by using race, and to get on the express train of development being driven by President Ali with able assistance from his cabinet.
Sincerely,
Edward Layne
