SINCE being elected to the presidency in 2015, Brigadier David Granger has successfully, through his administration, implemented programmes to ensure that each citizen has ready, continuous access to a safe water supply. This is not surprising considering the fact that water is essential for life and President Granger has promised that his government’s overarching objective is to provide a good life for all Guyanese.

President David Granger has repeatedly emphasised the importance of access to potable water– one of the sustainable development goals of the United Nations. President Granger himself has authored four books on the matter of safe-water supplies in the context of sustainable environmental practices. Those books are: Air, Earth and Water: Protecting Guyana’s environment; Iwokrama: A university of biodiversity; The Green State. Environmental security and biodiversity in Guyana; and Trees: Guyana’s covenant with the earth.

Recognising that water supplies are threatened, the President has said that, “Water is life. Without water there can be no life. The world’s freshwater supplies, unfortunately, are under threat. Water stress is increasing in many parts of the world. Aquifers are depleted faster than they are replenished. The growth of the world’s population will increase demand for water by 55% by the year 2050, placing even further strain on freshwater reserves.” His Excellency noted, too, that, “The word Guyana – the name of my own country – is derived from the Amerindian expression meaning ‘land of many waters’.”

The ongoing programmes to guarantee safe, reliable supplies of water to citizens across Guyana may be viewed within the context of President Granger’s foundational philosophy on the subject. And the David Granger-administration has accomplished much since being elected to office. The President had said, too, that the gap between resources that are available to coastal residents and those of hinterland-based Guyanese must be closed. It is against this backdrop that the President’s continuing, remarkably successful hinterland water-supply initiatives may be considered.

President Granger’s water-supply programmes include the drilling of new wells, upgrading of existing wells, instillation or rehabilitation of distribution systems, solar-powered pumps, storage facilities, and other equipment. And, the successes have been phenomenal and remarkably beneficial to many Guyanese. For example, in Barima-Waini (Region #1), the drilling of five new wells, and expansion of existing systems have benefitted some 4,000 residents in five communities. In Potaro-Siparuni (Region #8), four new wells and water-distribution systems are now delivering safe water to almost 5,000 people in four communities or villages, including the newly-established town of Mahdia. And, perhaps, most notably, 16 new wells and/or distribution networks are supplying water to more than 7,000 residents of 16 communities in Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo (Region #9). In many of those cases, persons have reliable water supplies for the first time ever. To say that what President Granger has achieved for the benefit of Guyanese is significant would be quite an understatement. President David Granger’s promise of a good life for all Guyanese is being made a reality in many sectors.

Since a good supply of water is essential to that goal, the administration has, rightfully, made it a priority. That fact is evident as one can clearly see that enormous progress has been made in only four years. This newspaper reported recently that with some 96 per cent of the 747,000 people living in Guyana currently having access to improved drinking-water resources and that GWI this year will move to acquire two rigs, as it aims to achieve 100 per cent coverage in the not-so-distant future. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), in its 2019 Human Development Report, revealed that Guyana has made significant progress in providing greater access to potable water. According to the report, 96.0 per cent of the country’s population has access to improved drinking-water resources while 86 per cent of the population is using improved sanitation facilities. Additionally, 88.8 per cent of the rural population has access to electricity.
GWI Managing Director, Dr. Richard Van-West Charles, during a recent interview, said the massive achievements made in the water sector are as a result of President Granger’s vision to provide Guyanese with equitable access to potable water, and the ability of GWI to fulfil its mandate.