PRESIDENT Donald Ramotar said, yesterday, that Government’s continuous investing in physical and social infrastructure has resulted in the considerable attraction of both international and domestic investment. His Excellency was addressing the opening of a two-day Guyana Investment Conference at the Guyana International Conference Centre (GICC), at Liliendaal, Greater Georgetown.

He emphasised that investments are indispensible to economic growth and social development and related that, because Guyana has recognised this, the Government has been working, constantly, to improve the conditions and the environment for them in the country.
The Head of State said that, while the Government is continually improving the physical  infrastructure of the country, in the form of bettering roads, bridges and buildings, it is also investing, significantly, to improve the social structure.
He said the delivery of education, health services, housing and social security have all been improved and added that even the legislative framework has been upgraded.
He asserted that what this attracted has pushed Guyana’s economy to constant growth for seven consecutive years, despite the fact that there have been serious pressures in the international environment, including dealing with many of the country’s own trading partners.

DIFFICULTIES ENCOUNTERED   
Nevertheless, Ramotar pointed out that, in spite of the difficulties encountered by trading partners, they have stuck loyally with Guyana, helping to work towards building the society.
Moreover, the President stated that domestic investors have also been increasing and broadening their inputs as a result of the positive environment that has been created.
He acknowledged, however, that there are still challenges, such as problems affecting exporters but assured that the Administration is dealing with those issues.
He remarked that, in order for the country to go forward, more investments are needed and in order to achieve this, new types of infrastructure are required.
President Ramotar, noting that a critical measure towards achieving this is building human capital, observed that the education system has improved, dramatically, not only in the formal but in the technical field, as well.
He admitted that the need for cheap energy has continued to affect the nation, over the years, acknowledging that, if this is achieved, it could contribute to the development of a stronger manufacturing sector, the creation of more high-paying jobs and the development of new industries.
For that reason, the President emphasised that the Amaila Falls Hydropower Project is extremely important.
“We need to produce more finished products and we need to process more of our agricultural goods. We need the investment in this area and we need to have more products from the very products that we produce today,” he reiterated.
The President also agreed that great potential lies in tourism development and said the Government is trying to create the necessary infrastructure to attract investments in this area.

NEW TECHNOLOGY
Alluding also to the Marriott Hotel, the Cheddi Jagan Airport expansion and the Specialty Hospital projects, he admitted it is important that the country takes advantage of new technologies that exist in the world today.
It is for this reason, he informed that the Government is investing greatly in the Information Communications Technology (ICT) sector.
Although not fully developed in this area, some 3,000 jobs have been created over the last decade, President Ramotar revealed.
Citing the Government’s One Laptop Per Family (OLPF) project, he said it is essential that access to technology is given to all, regardless of their economic status.
Ramotar acknowledged, too, that political stability is extremely important and, observing that competition in politics is normal in any democratic society, said it is generally healthy, once it is held within the framework of the context of ideas and programmes.
He lamented, though, that some, driven by other agendas, have unleashed vulgar attacks with the aim of trying to tarnish many of the Government’s projects and the good name of the country.
             
FIGHTING CORRUPTION
He said corruption has been spoken about over and over again and admitting it does exist, he indicated that the procedures and processes that have been put in place to fight it in Guyana are not being recognised.
He said that perceptions are engineered and manufactured and cautioned that the repetition of those things can be harmful to a society because they can become self-fulfilling prophecies.