AS opposed to giving handouts, any government’s proper role in pursuit of development should be one of empowering the people to be self-sufficient members of families, residents of neighbourhoods and communities, and part of the national society.

A responsible government will provide the means for citizens to prosper and to be proud of their own achievements. A good government will recognise the need for the promotion of a culture of self-reliance and pride in accomplishment, and will foster a culture of resourcefulness.

As such, President Granger has stated that government has recognised that the process of empowering citizens – particularly young Guyanese – has two components: encouragement of entrepreneurship and provision of educational opportunities. By these means, government will inculcate a culture of industry and innovation, as opposed to one of dependency and economic enslavement.

It was against this backdrop and within this framework that His Excellency, during his Emancipation-day remarks at Beterverwagting, encouraged and inspired all citizens to work, invest, and save money, instead of spending valuable resources and time on fruitless activities.

Contrary to what some critics have said, President Granger was not admonishing Guyanese to lift themselves up by their bootstraps; instead, the President encouraged all peoples to take advantage of available opportunities, and make use of new initiatives which government will continually develop, to improve the quality of their lives.

One of the major skills which Guyanese possess is that of enterprise; we are, by culture, a creative people. One only has to pass near any market to see proof of that fact. In fact too, government has numerous programmes and initiatives to give citizens a head start in the quest for a better tomorrow. The administration believes that enterprise rests on four pillars: investment, information, infrastructure, and innovation. And government will continue to nurture enterprise by providing the means for all prospective and current entrepreneurs to have access to those pillars.

The administration’s programmes to encourage investment are numerous. The Linden Enterprise Network (LEN) allows access to business loans to persons in the Upper Demerara-Upper Berbice region. The SLED initiative serves budding business operators in at least five developmental regions. It provides mentorship, training, grants, and support, among other services. The Small Business Bureau (SBB) continues to serve entrepreneurs in communities, including hinterland areas, in all aspects of business establishment and consolidation. The SBB will even assist in obtaining loans from commercial banks.

And there is no shortage of access to information; a single internet search will direct a seeker to most available services, and a visit to the Ministry of Business may be even more fruitful.

The third pillar, infrastructure, continues to engage the attention of government. During his address to the National Assembly on November 2, 2017, President Granger said, “Economic growth would not have been possible without the achievement of macroeconomic stability, the [government] has created a favourable environment for business development, to protect investments, to moderate inflation, and to maintain a stable exchange rate.” The President, in stating those facts, articulated his vision that the concept of infrastructure is a wide-ranging one. It includes not only the rehabilitation of the farm-to-market roads in Essequibo Islands-West Demerara, and those in Demerara-Mahaica, and in Mahaica-Berbice, but also the financial structures that result in lower prices of commodities.

In alluding to the fourth pillar, the President has said that, “Guyana needs an education of innovation.” He was at that time addressing the closing ceremony at the National Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics fair in April 2016. His Excellency spoke of innovation in areas ranging from water, to transportation, to education, to energy-generation. The wide vision of the administration could not be made clearer, and its dedication to the realisation of that vision is equally evident.

Government’s goal of providing a good life for all is not predicated on encouraging a culture of dependency. Instead, it is founded on a philosophy of empowerment. It is established on a principle of self-reliance. And it is based on a well-thought-out system of establishing and strengthening the four pillars which our leaders have identified. Government, in identifying and working to solidify those pillars, has clearly shown that it sees its role as an active one in providing a good life for all. The administration has declared in no uncertain terms that it is not a spectator, but, in fact, it is the primary leader and enabler.