Today we begin yet another year as we enjoy all the fun, frolicking and rollicking time at parties, get together or simple meeting of friends and family or acquaintances during what is traditionally regarded as the Season of Goodwill.

However, as all the fun winds down it is back to serious business and we all begin to focus on what the New Year will turn out to be for ourselves, communities and country and in the process hope that it becomes a fruitful and rewarding one.

Reflecting on the past year it was one mixed with successes and disappointments but it offered some amount of hope that things would be better this year.

On the international front Barack Obama created history by becoming the first President of the United States assuming a world leader role at a critical period in world history. His leadership brought hope that the ill-conceived and useless Iraq and Afghan wars would come to an end, but so far the senseless and brutal killings continue.

However, the two issues that perhaps attracted greatest attention was the global financial crisis and the debate on climate change which resulted in the Copenhagen summit. The former saw the world plunge into the worse financial crisis since the depression of the 1930s wreaking havoc in the largest economies leaving millions jobless and contraction of economic growth and according to experts it would be quite a while before the global economy recovers from the current slump.

The latter while it did not yield the anticipated results, especially in terms of financial benefits for those countries that have their rainforests intact, it certainly has raised global awareness of the implications of climate change and the need for urgent steps to be taken to counter it.

On the local front Guyana’s LCDS has been well received at the international level and President Jagdeo has won accolades for his articulate advocacy on the issue. So much so that this country was able to clinch a US$250M funding agreement with Norway to push the LCDS which will assist us to advance our economic development programme.

At Copenhagen while the meeting did not yield anticipated results it nevertheless resulted in the pledging of a substantial sum by the developed world.

Two of the important renewable energy projects which is anticipated to come on stream this year is the Amaila hydro and the other project which would be built with Brazilian assistance.

While it was a difficult financial and economic year the national economy managed to record a growth of over 3% and revenue target surpassed the estimated $86.4 billion. Public sector workers earned a 6% pay hike which we know is not enough but in the circumstances it was a reasonable increase.

The rice industry, our second largest industry, did well as global prices for rice grew but coming down to year end prices began to fall and this is something rice farmers must always be cognisant of.

However, our largest industry once did not live up to expectations and there was significant shortfall of the 280,000 tonne target which was disappointing. But a disturbing and unfortunate development was a somewhat bitterness which characterised relations between the union/workers and GUYSUCO’s management. We would hope that in this new year this will be corrected and an amicable industrial relations climate will be restored.

Crime and security and general lawlessness continued to be bugbears in 2009 and one of the most worrisome happenings was the torturing of a 14 year-old boy allegedly by members of the Guyana Police Force as well as other heinous criminal acts by members of the Guyana Defence Force.

Certainly during the new year more focus has to be placed on the conduct of members of our Disciplined Forces who have a crucial role in the developmental thrust of this nation. The “bad eggs” definitely have to be weeded out.

And the noise and garbage nuisance has to be tackled in a more aggressive, systematic and sustained manner as they have become sore issues in our society.

Overall we did well as a nation despite the many challenges and difficulties which we had to overcome.

As we move into stride for the New Year we must reflect on our mistakes/weaknesses and try to rectify them so that 2010 will be a better year for all.
A Happy New year to our readers, well wishers and all Guyanese!