– medical school, engineering faculty, dialysis centre among new projects
– four-lane road, modern wharf, stadium, inter-regional links also in cards
A medical school and an engineering faculty, as well as a modern dialysis facility, are among the new projects that residents of Region Two can expect under the next People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government.
This is according to President Irfaan Ali at a massive PPP Elections Rally held Saturday at the Anna Regina Market Square, on the Essequibo Coast.
Ali, alongside Prime Minister Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips, is seeking re-election for another term in office at the upcoming September 1 General and Regional Elections.
“When you vote on September 1, you’re not voting for what we have accomplished; you’re voting because your Government will invest in the labs and have a medical school right here in Essequibo so your children can be doctors right here in Essequibo.”
“We’ll be investing in all of the facilities so that you can have a Faculty of Engineering right here in Essequibo so your children can become engineers,” Ali declared.
Recognising the high academic performance in Essequibo over the years, the president reminded that under the former APNU/AFC coalition regime, a Minister had questioned why students were writing as many as 18 CSEC/CXC subjects.
“They could not acknowledge that in Essequibo, in Region Two, our children were rising up and were equal to and outperforming others in the Caribbean.”
In comparison, Ali pointed out that over the last five years, more than 4000 GOAL scholarships were given to young people across Region Two. Additionally, teachers are also being trained right there.
Similarly, the Head of State noted that nurses too are also being trained in the Pomeroon-Supenaam Region. Currently, a state-of-the-art, world-class regional hospital is being constructed in Essequibo to enhance the delivery of healthcare services to residents.
In the next term, the PPP/C, according to Ali, will bring more relief to Essequibo in the healthcare sector.
“When you vote on September 1, you’re not only voting for more support for dialysis patients, you’re voting for a modern dialysis facility to be built here in the region to support the people who need it,” the president announced.
Currently, dialysis patients benefit from an annual cash grant of $600,000 from the PPP/C Government.
Additionally, among the key highlights were plans to link Region Two to other regions via roadways and waterways, the construction of a modern wharf at Charity, and a four-lane road to ease traffic and boost accessibility.
The Head of State made it clear that these projects are not promises but part of a strategic, people-centred development agenda. He noted that through connectivity and infrastructure, the region will gain access to wider markets and generate new economic opportunities.
“Let me be clear, tonight we have outlined to you a clear vision, and in that vision, we are going to more efficiently integrate Region 1 with Region 2. We are going to create great opportunities in linking Region 3 to 2, and then with the Sand Hill Road and the Goshen route, you will be linked to Region 7 and the hinterland,” the President said.
Infrastructural development
He added, “When we invest in this infrastructure, what does it mean? It means that you have a larger market for your product. It means that Essequibo will become more accessible for the consumer, and already – you try to get a room in Essequibo on weekends.” Residents were also assured of the construction of a modern four-lane road outfitted with reinforced drainage systems, as well as other vital public infrastructure, including a new police station, fire station, and stadium, some of which are already under construction.
Ali emphasised that these developments will significantly enhance mobility, safety, public services, and entertainment in the region.
“When you vote on September 1st… you’re voting for your own four-lane road with concrete culverts,” the president declared.
“Just look around us, my respected brothers and sisters, look around us. You have massive buildings that are being built: hotels, a new police station, a fire station, a new stadium, new hospitals, and new roads.”
Additionally, President Ali highlighted that a key element of the Government’s development blueprint is the construction of a new port facility at Charity, which will include cold storage and manufacturing components to support farmers and agro-processors.
Ali explained that the investment will strengthen the agricultural base of the region and allow for better handling and export of perishable produce.
“You’re voting for a modern port at Charity, with cold storage, with manufacturing opportunities for our farmers,” the president told the crowd.
In comparing the current state of development to the period under the former APNU/AFC coalition, the president reminded residents of the dormancy the region endured prior to 2020.
He stated that under the PPP/C’s leadership, Region Two has been brought back to life, with rapid strides being made in health, education, infrastructure, and business growth.
“Compare this to just five years ago, when Essequibo was sent to sleep by a Government that did not care a thing about the people of Essequibo… In just five years, your region, you, the people of Essequibo, have regained development, you have regained your economy, and you’re once again rising to the top, building stronger, building better, and living happier.”
Region Two a stronghold
Asserting that Region Two remains a stronghold for the PPP, Ali dispelled rumours that the area could be swayed by political opportunists.
He told supporters that attempts by others to undermine the unity of the region would fail because Essequibo remains resilient and proud of its development path under the current administration.
“They believe, and let me be frank with you tonight, they have said in their backroom and backdoor meetings that Essequibo is a soft target… But tonight, you have said to them with great clarity that Essequibo is no one’s target. And that Essequibo is, suddenly, in a united way, behind the People’s Progressive Party,” he affirmed.
President Ali reminded citizens that voting on September 1 is not just about the past five years but about shaping the next generation’s future. He reiterated that development must be long-term, strategic, and deeply rooted in proper planning.
“Development is not about now alone; it is about tomorrow, it is about next year, it is about five years from now. Development calls for ideas and policies and programs to ensure success, not for one day or one season or one year, but for a lifetime,” President Ali stated.
