Dear Editor,
Guyana is a young nation and has to plan bigger and better infrastructural projects so as the country grows, the infrastructural needs would be adequate for the people.
The new Government of Guyana has to start thinking futuristically with bigger and better quality projects for money, especially when doing infrastructural works and while I know there are many plans in the pipeline, I’d very much be happy to see the Government consider some of my suggestions that would no doubt benefit all Guyanese while putting our beloved country on the path of the millennium goals.
It is my desire to see Guyana adopt the following with the oil revenue that will be generated.
1. Fix the problem of water. Many people are without access to potable water and even for those who receive water, the quality is poor. Aim to have pure, potable water without any stoppage.
2. Consider or take up the Brazilian offer to build two hydropower stations in the interior. And if the power generated will be too much for Guyana, sell the remaining to Brazil or desirous nations.
3. Building a 4-lane modern highway with shoulder (the Guyana-Brazil Highway from Lethem to Georgetown. Brazil offered to finance this venture. Payments can be arranged in the form of hydroelectricity.
4. Make a network of all-weather roads into the hinterlands connecting all major towns and areas of interest so people can move and transport goods and services throughout the country and open up township and farmlands for agriculture.
5. Build larger schools equipped with modern labs and auditoriums for arts and drama classes.
5. Establish many parks, at least in every ten/twenty villages to cater to the elderly or people who want a village outing or joggers etc.
6. Build a new modern airport for Lethem (naming it Janet Jagan Domestic or Desmond Hoyte International Airport or something of the sorts).
7. Develop Lethem into a new southern city with bigger and wider roadways with bicycle lanes and sidewalk to avoid the congestion problems as we are already having in Georgetown as a result of small skinny roads and inadequate parking.
8. New housing development in the country should aim to distribute larger house lots, wider streets with shoulders and sidewalks (so people can beautify the front of the yards and do a little planting of fruits and vegetables in their backyard.
9. The Administration should set aside State lands in all 10 regions for State parks so people can have green places to go to on public holidays and other events and family outings picnic, barbecue, camping out in the wilderness like they have in North America where people can travel across the country with there families and friends and see and enjoy get to know Guyana.
10. Allow a private bus company to operate in an attempt to fix the congestion situation using only big busses and develop a new terminal as they have in Trinidad and have the small buses ply the shorter routes.
11. Provide bicycle lanes and encourage people within 2 or 3 miles radius to ride to and from work.
12. Develop the city markets into two-storey buildings where vegetables and meats and fish are sold on the downstairs and dry goods and haberdasheries on the upstairs.
13. Do a complete reforming of the Guyana Police and get rid of the corrupt rogue elements. Investigate and try any public or Government officer who seeks bribes.
14. Install three Commissioners of Police — one for each county, and have them handle the issues directly in their county so as to mitigate crime and have an expeditious attitude to cases.
15. Have the said Commissioners make unexpected and frequent visits to the different police stations and regions so as to ensure the police are always active.
16. Maintain Local Government Elections and pressure the elected officials to produce in an attempt to better Guyana.
17. Establish two more universities if possible — one in Essequibo and one in Lethem (University of Essequibo and University of Lethem) and break away the Berbice campus of UG and have it function as a university of its own, naming it Jagan Memorial University (as the Jagans were Berbicians).
18. Commission and install at least two huge statues of Cheddi Jagan and Janet Jagan and have them erected at a specially planned park in Berbice or Georgetown. After all, they are the true fathers of the country. And sadly not one monument is erected to them.
19. Rename the National Park Queen Elizabeth Park to reflect our colonial legacy. National Park is just so ignorantly distasteful.
20. Revamp the zoo and its grounds and make it into something that is wonderful and entertaining for all.
21. Let the license plates for vehicles represent each of the three counties to enable easy tracking.
22. The Culture Centre is a disgrace, it needs much upgrade and Berbice and Essequibo need similar facilities or venues for public events for the residents there. Something should replace the cultural centre, taking design patterns from Trinidad’s NAPA, Harpa Cultural Centre, Reykjavik or MÉCA Cultural Centre in Bordeaux.
23. The Government should consult with ABC&E country ambassadors about the requirements to legally export fresh fruits, vegetables and fish to their respective countries as there is a large diaspora in the ABC countries and the Caribbean wishing for these products.
24. The Government should seek to make constitutional reforms for the country and make the laws stronger and better suited to society.
25. Seek to bring a new balance to GECOM as it is too unbalanced and corrupted.
26. Telecommunications reforms are needed to break the monopoly.
27. Allow new companies to enter the market which will provide bigger, better, goods and services and reduce prices for the whole nation. (Both Governments are guilty of dragging their feet on this issue for decades).
28. Remove the red tape in the business and industry in Guyana as these practices only seek to frustrate local and foreign investors.
29. Broadcast many useful foreign programmes that would inspire Guyanese to build, invent, restore and renovate many great products that will beautify and benefit all of Guyana and Guyanese.
30. Award the Medal of Service or higher to all those ambassadors and individuals who greatly helped to restore democracy to Guyana that the APNU/AFC greatly tried to kill!
I am certain should these considerations be effected, even if all can’t be implemented, I am certain that our beloved nation would be a great one.
Sincerely,
Naushad Ali
