– as he pays homage to their contributions on Emancipation Day
Assuring African Guyanese that his People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government is one that is committed to inclusivity and hearing their concerns, President Dr Irfaan Ali on the occasion of Emancipation Day paid homage to the contributions of the African community in Guyana.
In his Emancipation Day message, President Ali spoke of the inhumanity of slavery and the indelible contributions Afro-Guyanese have made to Guyana, in all facets of national life, since then.
“Their legacy is secure. Their future is assured. I want to reassure our African-Guyanese brothers and sisters that my Government is committed to an inclusive future for all. Whatever concerns or grievances, you can be certain of a receptive and responsive Government.”
“No one is going to be left behind or left out of national development. Outreaches have already begun in communities across our country so that the people can join us in working to bring solutions,” the President said.
The President in his Emancipation Day message paid homage to the sacrifices and struggles that the African ancestors endured in pursuit of freedom and human dignity, while also joining in saluting their undeniable contributions to national development. According to the President, an inclusive future awaits all Afro-Guyanese.
“Emancipation Day of 1838 was a milestone in our country’s history. It signalled the demise in our country of the most repugnant and inhumane system known to humanity. And while Emancipation did not bring an end to colonial oppression, it struck a hefty blow in the cause of human dignity and freedom,” the President said.
According to Ali, Guyana’s society changed on a fundamental level as a result of Emancipation. He noted that the abolition of slavery in the British colonies also opened the doors to immigrants from other parts of the world and triggered a process of social transformation.
“African Guyanese were at the forefront of that process. It was Africans who had laid the productive infrastructure of our country. After Emancipation, they expanded the peasantry, launched the Village Movement, and established economic enterprises. They pioneered the education and local government. Happy Emancipation Day 2022!” He further said.
It was only on Saturday that a team of nine Government Ministers went into the East Coast of Demerara (ECD) village of Melanie. According to one villager, in his life living in Melanie he has never seen so many Ministers of Government visit the community at one time.
The outreach was led by Prime Minister, Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips. Among the Ministers present were Minister of Housing and Water Collin Croal, Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony, Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister Anil Nandlall, Public Service Minister Sonia Parag, Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha, Public Works Minister Juan Edghill, Local Government and Regional Development Minister Nigel Dharamlall and Minister within the Office of the Prime Minister with responsibility for Public Affairs, Kwame McCoy.
Among the developmental initiatives that will grace the East Coast corridor is a US$8 million water treatment plant, to be funded from supplementary funds the Government is seeking from the National Assembly, as well as a regional hospital at Enmore.
According to Croal, who was in Melanie as part of a nine-member ministerial delegation, the range of the water treatment plant project will cover from Coldingen to Haslington on the East Coast of Demerara.
Meanwhile, the regional hospital was another East Coast initiative was referred to by the Minister of Health. According to Anthony, the Government will be building the regional hospital at Enmore as part of its drive to decentralise healthcare.
“We have a number of regional hospitals that we’ll be building, from all the way up in Skeldon right across the coast to Anna Regina and your neighbourhood. In Enmore. We will be building a regional hospital. That regional hospital will have at least 75 in-patient beds. Would have a modern accident and emergency. Would also have modern laboratories, imaging suites.”
“And that imaging suite would not just consist of X-rays and ultrasounds, but we would also add to that imaging suite, a modern CT scan. So no longer would you leave here to go to Georgetown and then pay between $30,000 to $70,000 for a CT scan,” Anthony also explained.
There are also plans for the construction of a 256 -bed Paediatric and Maternal Hospital at Liliendaal, ECD. In fact, Dr Anthony revealed that construction is expected to commence this week. President Dr Irfaan Ali himself turned the sod for this project on Sunday.
