SIGNALLING its keen interest and genuine intention and deep desire for the involvement of citizens in the development process, Government held its wide-ranging consultation with the society on crafting a local content policy framework, further immersing Guyanese in this partnership between them and their government. In the backdrop of citizens emerging out of five years of stone-walled governance under the Coalition regime, the openness, engaging camaraderie, and easy flow of communication between the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government ministers and the people of the land shows a welcoming willingness for a dynamic people-government partnership to make things happen for the benefit of the entire society.
Here’s the essence of a functioning, fruitful democratic culture, where the elected officials give due consideration and cultivate thoughtful conversations with the people who elect them to office.

Indeed, it would take the immersive responsible roles of all concerned, of the people and government and organisations and institutions, all working together, to chart the course forward, and to harness the full intellectual and leadership resources of the country for the task at hand.
Guyana, today, faces an excitingly challenging road ahead, with a demand for sophisticated leadership, and from its vantage point atop the society’s hierarchy of organisations, as the governance pinnacle, as the government and executive director of State resources, the Guyana Government is able to see the big picture, to see the total playing field, to grasp the viewpoint of the entirety of the job that is necessary. Citizens can only see so much of the big picture, and organisations and institutions that represent different sections of the society see only their own corner of the country. It is the government’s job to bring the different parts of the country and to knit them together so that everybody sees the whole picture.

This is why public communication is such a vital aspect of operating the State machinery, for Guyanese to be able to consider the whole of the society and see how they fit in with dynamic engagement. In fact, this is where the Opposition seems to be failing, in its inability to see the big picture of Guyana’s national life, and so they focus on their corner and show a sort of disdain to the rest of the country.
Thankfully, President Ali’s Government is open, engaging, fully conversant with the population, and it is a sign of matured national leadership to see Vice-President Jagdeo and Attorney-General, Anil Nandlall and the ministers so involved in on-the-ground public engagements. President Ali’s visionary initiative for the Corridor of Unity, along the East Coast Demerara communities, demonstrates with graphic detail the commitment of this government to the public good, through consultation, cooperation, and conciliatory initiatives.

So, government sees the big picture, and one recognises this in the tone of Vice-President Jagdeo, who noted at the local policy consultation confab with citizens, that one must be cognisant of the role of macro investors in the unfolding economic miracle of Guyana. Although local content is important in the oil and gas sector, and in every sector of the economy, there must be room for foreign and diaspora investors to play a role. Citizens who spoke at the consultation raised several issues, from the need for financial capital for small and medium local businesses, to laws and rules to protect them against powerful big investors. Vice-President Jagdeo noted that legislation will be enacted to give this protection to local interests and stakeholders.

However, government also recognises that there is a delicate balance between fostering a robust environment for local content involvement, and tapping into the investment ability and human resource needs of international stakeholders. Government also is aware that the oil and gas sector – which garnered special interest at the confab for local content advocates – is now the catalyst for Guyana’s accelerated socio-economic advancement, and thus, as the most important driver of the economy today and for the foreseeable future, would require special attention and treatment and a lot of focus.

But government also sees the big picture, that the oil and gas sector, as the development catalyst, can and must pave the way and prepare the path for development and growth across all other sectors. Guyana is setting out to develop a multifaceted economy, not one that is lopsided. The country’s beloved agricultural sector, especially rice and sugar, and mining, forestry, and manufacturing concerns must continue to grow. None of it should be left behind as the oil and gas sector functions today as the catalyst for accelerated development. Vice-President Jagdeo made this point with particular emphasis, while noting the great importance of the oil and gas sector, and while lauding the role of big investors, which the country needs with particular urgency.

Then, on top of all that, it is government’s job to balance all this hive of activity on the economic front, with the global agenda for a net-zero emissions future, through the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS). It might appear that these diverse sectors are competing with each other, but in fact government is building a strong networking framework uniting these sectors so that they all work together, in a smooth operation where they all come together to cause a balanced platform for the national well-being. Government and the people are on a partnership for Guyana’s accelerated advancement, and that generates enormous confidence in the hearts of Guyanese that their country cares for each and every person, that everybody counts and that the welfare of the entire country matters. Thus, the local content policy framework consultation signals that the government-people partnership serves the interest of every Guyanese.