…says transformation already taking place at national level
While reference has often been made to Guyana’s ‘brain drain’, Vice President Dr Bharrat Jagdeo over the weekend assured that the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government will continue to strive to reduce this phenomenon, by ensuring that persons can fulfill their dreams without leaving Guyana’s shores.
The PPP/C had embarked on a trip to Region Nine (Upper Takatu/Upper Essequibo) over the weekend, where they visited a number of hinterland locations. While delivering brief remarks at the fun day and BBQ hosted by the party subsequently at Everest Cricket Club Ground, Jagdeo who also serves as General Secretary of the party, referenced the massive support they received during their Rupununi trip.
“The President, he’s here today. He had a long day in the Rupununi. He visited several communities there. And if you have an opportunity to, just please look at the crowd that came out to those meetings. This is an indication that our support is widespread. Its not just in the coastal communities. Its not just in the traditional communities that supported the PPP. Its also in the hinterland.”
“And why do so many people come out to these meetings. Why are they attracted to the party? Because we’ve been working steadfastly at transforming people’s lives. There are numerous challenges in this country.”
Jagdeo also made reference to Populism, a political term used to describe, among other things, anti-establishment and anti-political sentiments. According to the General Secretary, supporters of the party must be wary of such sentiments. He further assured them that the government is tackling the brain drain problem.
“Many times, (people) fall prey to the populist views. And we have to avoid that. We have to make sure we remain consistent with what we are doing. And steadfastly, day by day, the transformation will take place. We’re going to ensure that every single citizen of this country, that they can fulfill their dreams right here. We see that unfolding at the national level, before your very eyes,” he said.
The Vice President also noted that not only is the PPP the largest political party in Guyana, but it is also the only multi-ethnic, multi-religious party. According to him, this is a title no other party can claim.
The brain drain Guyana has endured since the 1960’s, has been widely talked about. In fact, it was estimated by University of Guyana Vice Chancellor, Professor Paloma Mohamed-Martin, that the migration of graduates after they would have completed studies in Guyana has come with a hefty loss of over US$1 trillion, as they move to build other countries. She had said that in its 60 years of existence, the University would have produced more than 50,000 graduates, at least 30 per cent of whom have migrated.
Guyana’s transformation has, however, been at a rapid pace in recent years and the government has been making Human resource development a key component of the transformation matrix. President Dr. Irfaan Ali has previously referenced the increasing investments in the Guyana Online Academy of Learning (GOAL) scholarship programme, in training and development, in the US$120 million National Training Centre, the establishment of a School of Hospitality, building new nursing schools, creating the technology to enhance the country’s knowledge economy, and investing in research and development, as being geared towards bolstering human resource transformation in Guyana.
Moreover, President Ali had outlined that economic transformation comes from diversification of the economy and adding value. This, he explained, is where agro-processing, manufacturing, and industrial development become very critical and will create higher paying jobs for Guyanese.
Guyana’s oil and non-oil economies have shown strong growth over the past few years. Last year, the oil and gas sector expanded by 45.9 per cent, with production of 142.9 million barrels of oil compared with 101.4 million in 2022. This includes production of crude oil at a rate of approximately 142,000 barrels per day (bpd) at the Liza Destiny FPSO, while the Liza Unity FPSO produced at a rate of 235,000 bpd. Meanwhile, the economic growth in Guyana’s non-oil sector is considered the second fastest in the world.
Back in 2022, Guyana’s rapid economic expansion saw the country recording a 62.3% growth– placing the country amongst the fastest-growing economies globally. This rapid growth was attributed by the Government to the oil and gas sector, which expanded by 124%. Meanwhile, Guyana’s non-oil economy also saw a very strong expansion of 11.5%. (G3)
