The Government’s opening of new schools and hospitals is commendable

Dear Editor,
In 2020, when the PPP Government took over, everything needed fixing, updating, refurbishing, and modernising. There was a need for enormous capital development. We knew that all that needed to be done could not get done in one term. It will take another term to improve schools, improve hospitals, provide universal housing, develop structures for income enhancement for the most vulnerable, and create that rising tide that lifts all boats. We knew that we would have to initially use a big chunk of the oil revenues to get all these things done now, so those of us alive now can live the good life before the great beyond. Once we get these initial things done, we must save money in the Sovereign Wealth Fund following the Norway model.
With the new oil economy, everything has to be redesigned, reimagined, and restructured to help us maximise our benefits as an oil country while maintaining the sustainability of the traditional economy. People say silly things, such as we have oil money, and we can get tonnes of welfare, so we don’t have to work. It does not work like that. We have to invest heavily in fixing our infrastructure, and the Government has run as fast as it could to fix things and create the facilitating structures. Our Guyanese people have some bad mindsets (e.g., resistant to change) and nasty habits (e.g., trash everywhere) that keep us in the Third World category. There is a need for re-education, new education and what we call vertical and horizontal alignment of the various components of our education systems. Our Government has prioritised the building of new schools, additions to schools, and renovation of schools. Under President Ali and Minister Manickchand, they have built the most new schools of any Government in our history. Most of the new schools are in the Amerindian communities, where they have also improved digital access to enable equity in educational opportunity. More will be done to increase the quality of access in those challenging remote areas. The new Good Hope and Parfait Harmonie high schools are modern high schools comparable with American schools. The new Tuschen High School is a nice facility. The Hosororo High School will be a magnificent facility, nicer than most coastal schools. We are on the right track with modernising facilities, and the new term will continue the focus on reforming curriculum, instruction, and assessment, which are at the heart of education reform.
Similarly, I was able to attend some openings of the new hospitals, and they are comparable with American standards. Schools, hospitals, roads, bridges, agriculture, house lots, and all infrastructure are all for the purpose of improving the quality of life for all Guyanese across the board without regard to race or party affiliation. Salary is just one factor related to dealing with the cost of living. Subsidies, grants, allowances, free this and free that also contribute to a lower cost of living. It’s about creating an opportunity culture for all. People in the lower-income jobs can improve themselves through education and training. The Government has a dynamic TVET (Technical and Vocational Education and Training) programme across the country in our schools, BIT (Board of Industrial Training) through the Ministry of Labour, WIIN training through the Ministry of Human Services, etc. We must encourage and coach people locked in low-income jobs to take advantage of training opportunities to improve their income streams while increasing pay too. Guyana is now a land of opportunity, and a changing of our mindsets will help us to capitalise on all the blessings available in this blessed land.

Yours sincerely,
Dr Jerry Jailall