THE astute leadership of the PPP/C Government, with President Jagdeo at the helm, has created many buffers to cushion the devastating impacts of external trading and social dynamics from derailing the development programmes, and even growth patterns, of this country’s socio-economic graphs.
Many nations are reeling from the shockwaves of the global recession, but Guyana’s food security is assured, and our economy has been stable, with even some degree of growth.
Despite the dire prognostications of doomsayers and naysayers, the Government’s continuously increasing investments in the agricultural sector, and the innovative initiatives by its ancillary arms, is redounding, in a major way, towards  enhancement of the lifestyles of citizens.
As the government strategises to create and accelerate the dynamics of development through the continued investments in people’s power, President Jagdeo is also seeking a partnership with the citizens of the land to join in government’s efforts to involve the citizens of the country to be an integral part of the development paradigm of the nation.
“Uniting Communities across the Country” – the theme of the Community Development Councils at its annual conference, which was held to celebrate its 10th anniversary, is evocative of the PPP/C Government’s drive to incorporate Government’s drive and people’s power in national development imperatives.
The release of millions to the City Council, as well as the President’s promise of more monetary allocations for Community Development Councils(CDCs), is a commitment to the people of the land by the leader of the land to the enhancement of their existential landscape, the success of which co-operative endeavour at the grassroots level is an imperative.
But working with the grassroots has always been the PPP’s tradition, and service to the people has always been the paramount consideration in all the endeavours of the PPP, beginning from the first foray into the socio-political arena by the iconic Jagans, who chose well when they chose the young Bharrat Jagdeo to take up the mantle of leadership in the country.  He has not faltered in his responsibilities and his stewardship as guardian of this nation’s welfare is testimony to his commitment to the Jagan legacy of service to the nation above concern for self.
The CDCs were formed by government to involve members of communities in the care and development of their own communities, while simultaneously creating and providing jobs for the unemployed.  The Councils allow  communities to be responsible for the governance of their designated areas of mandated authority.
If properly managed, with primary goals of self-development and autonomy of environmental, infrastructural and social management, in addition to consideration for sound fiscal practices and uncompromising accountability, each community of the nation can maximize and exploit its peculiar potential to optimal levels.  This could provide the impetus and serve as a catalyst for the restoration of commitment to personal and communal development, whereby citizens could enhance their lives and lifestyles through individual and collective efforts and thus restore the healthy socio-economic environment of communities across the land, which will of course redound to the benefit of the entire nation.
Benefits will include a reduced crime rate, unwed pregnancy rate, school dropout rate, suicide rate, abuse rate, stress-related medical rate, among many others.
President Bharrat Jagdeo has consistently said that the Government will continue to make investments aimed at enhancing the quality of life for our citizens, especially the vulnerable.
Despite the difficulties, challenges and pitfalls that the country has faced over recent years, catastrophic international occurrences did not derail Guyana’s momentum of growth, and this fact is evident in the triumphs which are defined in the actualization of Government’s developmental programmes, not least, and by no means not last being the recently commissioned Enmore Packaging Plant.
However, President Jagdeo once said: “We have come a long way since Independence because of the efforts of our people; but much more progress can be made if we have a supportive political environment.  Our people’s desire for a better life imposes upon us the obligation to pursue greater national unity and co-operation.”
And the PPP/C government has always sought inclusivity in its deliberations and developmental initiatives, and while the administration has always urged and encouraged other political leaders toward more cooperative endeavours to better the lives of the Guyanese people, it is also incumbent upon the peoples of Guyana to recognize that their leaders often fail them and it is to the benefit of everyone if citizens acknowledge that unity and cooperation with Government’s development strategies at the grassroots level, despite diverse political affiliations, can fructify in personal, communal, and national development, whereby everyone wins, and the nation ultimately achieves peace, progress and prosperity, the pursuit which the PPP embarked on over sixty years ago, through the formation of the Political Affairs Committees (which subsequently morphed into the PPP) when the Jagans, Ashton Chase, Jocelyn Hubbard, Winifred Gaskin and a few other visionary Guyanese embarked on a quest for equity and progress for all the peoples in this land.