— VP Jagdeo tells residents of Region 10
THE government is working to significantly improve the standard of living of all Guyanese by making available more opportunities to residents throughout Guyana by investing in long-term projects in education, health care and public infrastructure.
This is according to Vice-President Dr Bharrat Jagdeo, who was at the time speaking at a recent outreach in the mining town of Linden.
The Vice-President during his address to residents of Region 10, spoke in detail about the country’s growth after the PPP/C Government took office in the late 1990s and current plans to improve infrastructure around the country and create job opportunities.
During the well-attended event, he told the receptive gathering on the lawns of the Watooka Guest House that the government is committed to having every citizen have access to Guyana’s oil wealth through improved health care and better education.
He iterated that if the population is healthy and educated and they have opportunities, they would be able to make a great and sustainable living long into the future.
Additionally, he mentioned that revenue received from oil and gas will go towards infrastructure for the future – roads, bridges, water supply systems among other things – that will stimulate job creation.
“We are intent on ensuring that the industry that we worked so hard under the PPP to bring to that point that that industry benefits Guyanese and the returns are shared equitably across our country that all of our people, regardless of who they voted for, their race, their religion, they must share in [the] oil- and-gas proceeds. That is important for us,” the Vice-President said.
Meanwhile, as he spoke on the improvement of infrastructure and more, he noted that the government is currently negotiating with the Inter-American Development Bank to upgrade the Linden and New Amsterdam hospitals and is constructing new major diagnostic centres in Regions One, Seven, Eight and Nine.
In addition, Mr Jagdeo mentioned that the government is also before the Islamic Development Bank with a $120 million project, which, if approved, will see the start of reconstruction of the Soesdyke-Linden Highway before the end of the year.
Aside from investing in public infrastructure, he said the government is also investing directly in people.
On that note, he urged the residents of Linden who wish to study to make full use of the GOAL scholarships and other initiatives.
He also noted that the government is prepared to invest more in the region, including building more call centres or factories.
Many investors are going to Regions Three and Four, but the government is trying to attract investments in the other regions.
“So, we are trying to find a way to incentivise businesses to locate in these regions,” he said, while noting that the government has urged oil and gas companies to also recruit persons from outside of Regions Three and Four.
“We’ve been pushing them more to recruit from other regions and if the highways are good, people can travel back and forth easily to work in these areas,” the told the large gathering of Region 10 residents.
Region 10 will benefit from a series of major investments. These include roads and water treatment and supply, among other job creation and projects. Recently, the Vice-President also announced 800 temporary jobs and 250 small business grants for the people of Region 10.
“Just to let you know, Region 10 will be treated fairly by the PPP… for us, we contest elections on the basis of party, but when that is done, when the elections are done it is for us to work for the people of our country regardless of how they voted and that is always our philosophy,” he said.
