GUYANESE woke up one morning last week to the amazing news that a new, major public road will soon be opened, linking Diamond and Eccles, easing the tense traffic pressure on the East Bank Demerara public road between these two thriving communities. This news came as a pleasant surprise to the nation: first, because the country is not accustomed to such rapid, new infrastructural development, and this was a new way of doing things; and second, blazing a brand new paved roadway through virgin land, building it from scratch, is a fresh, new kind of innovative action, especially by government. It is as if the Guyana Government is tackling the development agenda with the efficiency, professionalism, speed, and management skills of a private-sector culture. President Ali narrated a video that the state released across social media platforms, announcing the new road. This event and the way officials dealt with its announcement shows a brilliant side to this new way Guyana chooses to approach its 21st century journey.

Citizens sat up and took notice: Guyana is indeed on a new path, and government means business, and it is going to be a journey such as the country has never seen before. Such confidence, leadership, decisive action, and literally blazing a new trail overnight, yes, this is a new Guyana. And the ricochet across the villages, towns and city, across the entire land, generates confidence in the hearts of Guyanese, a swelling of the heart that their nation is ready, willing, and able to tackle the challenges facing the society, with extraordinary decisiveness.

People have been complaining for so long about the traffic delays on the heavy East Bank Demerara roadway, that they became resigned to their fate, feeling that this traffic jam in the mornings and afternoons would not ever end. And then one morning they woke up to their President narrating a video online, showing a new avenue is about to open to ease the time-wasting congestion.
But this is more than pleasing the population and bringing necessary relief to the public. Rather, it demonstrates government’s keen awareness of the intricate factors that make for a well-functioning, progressive, fast-moving modern economy: workers sitting in their vehicles waiting for hours for traffic to crawl forward, that is wasted human resource hours, day in and day out. Over a financial year, it adds up to enormous losses for the national economy. Not to mention, it also fuels emotional angst and stress and anxiety in workers starting their day in heavy congestion. Plus, the pollution from idling vehicles pouring carbon monoxide into the East Bank Demerara atmosphere could not be a good thing. All these factors came into play with that decision to move with urgency to get the new road done and open within record time. The new Diamond-Eccles public road solves all these issues with one project, a project that could very well become the initiating move for how the new future upon which Guyana embarks unfolds.

Since 1992, People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) governments have demonstrated this penchant for efficient governance. A government cannot take the world’s poorest economy, as the PPP/C did in 1992 when Guyana ranked as the second poorest country in the Americas behind Haiti, and move it within two decades to a 10 times increase in its Gross Domestic Product. That journey started with the humane, brilliant, patient leadership of Dr Cheddi Jagan. And it included some stalwart leaders who made tremendous contributions to the nation’s development. Throughout the journey, from 1992 to today, starting with Junior Finance Minister in 1992, to Vice-President today, is the dynamic presence on the Guyana stage of the indomitable Dr Bharrat Jagdeo.

For the past 30 years, the former President, now Vice-President, served the nation, always in the forefront of making sure this country keeps moving up, keeps scaling up its socioeconomic development, and keeps inventing the future. But his role in making sure Guyana remains a full-fledged democracy marks him for national heroism. Any country that nurtures a leader as the PPP/C nurtured Jagdeo, and the way he turned around to take on the role of elder statesman after his presidential stint ended and lead the party to continue its stewardship of this nation, it is a magnificent portrayal of national leadership, self-sacrifice, and genuine care for Guyanese.

This is why Guyanese could wake up to such good news, that their East Bank Demerara traffic jams are coming to an end with a new, major public road; because Guyana cultivates the kind of leadership cadre and political front that care about the socioeconomic conditions of citizens, rather than seeing itself as merely an almighty government force.

This government is showing a deep sense of humility, cultivating a close relationship with people in communities across the land. But it is also showing spectacular professionalism, this ability for rapid, decisive action, and with a glittering array of world-class, high-value projects underway, Guyanese are looking on with awe and amazement at the transformation happening before their very eyes. Such a thing is new in Guyana, and maybe even the Caribbean. Guyana today is not just fast-tracking its way forward because of oil and gas, but because of this government’s determination to way surpass its promises to the people that it made during the elections campaign. Not only would the electoral promises be fulfilled, as Jagdeo posted on his Facebook page with a gallery of pictures to show projects and construction sites underway across the country, but the promises would surpass and surprise citizens with the deep urgency of implementation, with world-class standard, and with compassionate consideration for citizens’ benefit.

This road linking Diamond and Eccles would go down in history as a symbol of government talk becoming real action, that citizens could trust the state to bring about the kind of socioeconomic progress that they promised in the elections manifesto, and in fact surpass all expectations.

When a nation could wake up and feel great about their country, and look forward to driving to work into the city on a Monday morning without clogged congestion on one main road artery from their home to their workplace, oh what a day! The Guyana Government is not only keeping its promises to the Guyanese people, but is also surpassing expectations with flying colours.