PRESIDENT, Dr. Irfaan Ali, has accomplished everything since taking office as Guyana’s 9th Executive President two and a half years ago. Many have claimed that he is the best and most qualified candidate for the position because he has upheld national security, law and order, and provided jobs and building lots for thousands of people during his time as president.

He has also given contracts to the most qualified contractors, regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, or political affiliation.

His Excellency has travelled to nearly every district, village, and town in this brief period to meet with the locals—Indo, Afro, and native Guyanese—to discuss and resolve their issues.

Given his enormous accomplishments in such a short time, he is regarded as one of the most talented, wise, and practical leaders in the 57 years since the country’s independence.

He is a creative and perceptive thinker who has given hope to the helpless, improved the lives of the underprivileged, comforted those in times of sadness, pain, or hurt, inspired and motivated those with the potential for a bright future, instilled confidence in the depressed or disheartened, and persuaded troubled youths to turn away from criminal activity and become good and productive citizens.

In other words, he has made it abundantly plain to everyone that the economy is increasing, and everyone will benefit from it. His “One Guyana Initiative,” in which everyone may participate and help it succeed, is built around this idea.

It is true that President Ali’s “One Guyana Initiative” is a first for the nation; however, it is not a gamble, a frivolous thought, or a promise that won’t be kept; rather, it is a serious and significant effort to bridge the racial divide in the nation, to put decades of hatred, bigotry, and xenophobia behind us, and to live in peace, harmony, and with respect for one another. The goal is to bring the populace together and create a thriving Guyana.

One people, One nation, One Destiny is our motto, and realising it requires the serious-minded to work together to overcome their differences and/or disputes, live together, and accomplish this job. We are, after all, first and foremost Guyanese, and we are the custodian of our brothers and sisters. This biblical allusion, which comes from the book of Genesis, is typically taken to suggest that we should be concerned for each other’s welfare and our own. This should be the driving force behind who we are as people and justify our support of the “One Guyana Initiative.”

Therefore, we urge everyone to set aside their differences, arguments, and prejudices and follow President Ali’s call to unite the races, lift and better the lives of the underprivileged, create a thriving nation, and always put Guyana first. And although if other attempts to bring about racial harmony have fallen short, we are optimistic that President Ali’s “one Guyana Initiative” will be successful thanks largely to its profound, sensible, and popular appeal.

Locally, President Ali has put Guyana on a sound economic path that will not only benefit the populace, particularly the poor, but also achieve his ultimate goal of reducing or ending poverty and improving the nation’s education and healthcare systems, among other things, to restore Guyana to its former status as the breadbasket of the Caribbean before its independence in 1966. In his speech to the Global South Summit last week, President Ali proposed a new global food system to reduce hunger among the underprivileged in developing nations.

Dr. Ali’s plan, which places agriculture at its centere, calls for increased investments in agricultural production and better agricultural technology in developing nations, the termination of unfair trade agreements that favour wealthy and powerful nations like the United States, Canada, and Britain, among others, and more serious efforts to combat climate change, which has negatively impacted the economies and well-being of the people in developing nations. He has wisely emphasised Guyana’s unwavering support in many areas, such as food security, climate change mitigation, just and equitable trade policies, and respect for everyone’s freedom and right to dignity and pursuit of prosperity and happiness.