President Irfaan Ali and his Government have hit the ground running within moments of being sworn in to office. The 12th Parliament has convened, and a national emergency budget is expected to be presented and passed in a matter of days.
Certainly, the task ahead in addressing the many needs of citizens is not an easy one. With communities competing for scarce resources, the Government would have to prioritise the areas they would wish to focus on immediately.
In many communities across the country, persons are crying out for basic services such as water, healthcare and affordable housing. Many persons have been without jobs for months, and are finding it very challenging to take care of themselves and their families. The signs of poverty are in evidence in many communities across the country.
There is no need to explain the economic situation inherited by the new Government, as this is well known. With many of the economic sectors being in decline, President Ali is now expected to take the necessary action to revive the economy and bring it to a state where investors would again have a high level of confidence in its performance.
The new Government has promised a range of measures, which it intends to roll out in the coming weeks; including working with the Private Sector to support small businesses and create jobs etc. The President had said that he had already started to examine, from a fiscal perspective, the extent of support Government can give to the Private Sector to stimulate a resumption of their economic activities, especially putting back to work people who have been dislodged because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Among other long-term economic measures which no doubt would result in a better quality of life for citizens, the Government intends to work to reduce the cost of energy by 50 percent through a mix of hydro, gas, solar, and wind, adding more than 400 megawatts of newly installed capacity over the next five years.
Additionally, the Government has indicated that high transportation costs will be tackled through investments in a deep-water harbour, the Linden-to-Lethem Road, a high-span bridge across the Demerara River, and other transformative infrastructural projects.
The President has said his vision is to open up every part of our country, and to join the parts so that new opportunities are created for housing settlements and businesses, and to create and expand tourism and other service industries.
It is our hope that the Government would address the systemic socio-economic inequalities and facilitate the engagement of all people in matters of national development. In Guyana, too many citizens are still considered living below the poverty line, and many more are still waiting to access the opportunities that would allow them to lift themselves out of poverty.
The UN has noted that poverty is not simply measured by inadequate income; it is manifested in restricted access to health, education, sanitation and other essential services; and, too often, by the denial or abuse of other fundamental human rights. They are marginalised in Government participation.
Guyana is not a poor country in terms of natural resources. Guyana’s hinterland possesses bountiful natural resources. But despite this endowment, the country remains underdeveloped and mired in poverty, and is plagued by poor infrastructure and environmental hazards.
It is also noted that there is a wide disparity in development and in household income between the hinterland and the coastland regions, and between urban and rural areas. Urban areas are more developed, and have much higher household incomes. Efforts must be made to reduce this gap if the nation is to become more equal in terms of urban versus rural areas and/or hinterland versus coastal regions.
President Ali’s Government must seek to ensure that the wealth of our country reaches the pockets of citizens in a fair and equitable manner.
