Region 6 outreach: No shortcuts – Pres Ali highlights role of citizens in national development

As Guyana moves through one of the most rapid periods of transformation in its history, President Dr Irfaan Ali is urging citizens to ensure their attitudes and daily conduct keep pace with the country’s development.
The Head of State delivered this call on Thursday while addressing residents at State House in New Amsterdam, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), during a wide-ranging outreach that focused on service delivery, accountability, and national values.

President Ali told Berbicians that the Government’s massive investment programme – from new bridges and highways to digital public services, training centres, and expanded opportunities – will not achieve its true purpose unless citizens themselves commit to honesty, responsibility, and respect for systems.
“We can build the best infrastructure, the most modern service platforms, but a system is only as good as the people who use it. If your only intention is to find a back door or a side door, then you are contributing to the problems we face,” he explained.
The President warned that poor habits, shortcuts, and corrupt practices at the individual level can undermine the progress the country is making. He highlighted two common examples: motorists speeding down public roads then attempting to bribe police officers when stopped, and persons trying to slip ahead of lines by offering security guards a small payment. These behaviours, he stressed, must end if Guyana is to mature into a modern and disciplined society.
“That mindset must change… And that takes the collective effort of all of us.”
Ali said the Government is taking decisive steps to ensure accountability within the public sector, including the enforcement of performance indicators and consequences for non-performing officials. He emphasised that citizens must also meet their own responsibilities by following established systems instead of seeking “shortcuts” that breed unfairness and corruption.
According to the President, the transformation underway in Guyana is not limited to roads and physical infrastructure. It includes a digital shift in how Government services are delivered, with electronic ticketing, online applications, integrated help desks, and soon, the One Guyana Service Delivery Centres that will centralise immigration, licensing, NIS, GRA, and pension services.
However, he cautioned that these improvements will only be effective if citizens use them constructively.
“The same time you spend on social media, spend it examining the opportunities Government is providing for you online,” he urged, encouraging residents to engage with official platforms rather than misinformation.
President Ali also underscored the need for kindness, community-mindedness, and personal responsibility – values he believes are essential in shaping the kind of society the next generation deserves. He said that while the Government can provide opportunities, Guyanese must also lead positive lives and make choices that reflect integrity and mutual respect.
“We want to build a future that is people-centred – one built on love, service, unity and accountability,” he noted. “But the people must match that transformation by also transforming the way we think, the way we treat our children, the way we behave at home and on the street.”
The President added that Region Six is poised for tremendous change within the next five years, with billions of dollars in infrastructure, education, and economic expansion set for implementation. But the ultimate success of these projects, he maintained, depends on citizens embracing the values that underpin modern development.
“We will build the infrastructure and create the opportunities. But it is up to all of us to match that transformation by how we think and act. The future is ours; let us work together to make it count,” he said.