-President Ali calls on citizens to embrace new service-oriented culture
PRESIDENT, Dr Irfaan Ali, in unveiling a new vision for the country, is urging citizens to embrace a service-oriented culture that prioritises their needs.
His plan calls for a shift in the mindset of those in the public and private sectors, whom he said must become more customer-focused and accountable in order to deliver high-quality services to citizens.
By placing citizens at the centre of policymaking, the government hopes to create a more efficient and responsive public service. This approach is expected to build trust and confidence in the government among citizens and to promote greater citizen engagement and participation in the democratic process.
Speaking at Saturday’s opening of the US $5 million Sheriff General Hospital at Leonora, West Coast Demerara, President Ali said: “… we want to create a new service-oriented culture, one in which there is great dignity and pride in everything we do.
“It is not for a show that will see members of the disciplined forces and cabinet on the ground in a clean-up exercise. It is to demonstrate that each of us, regardless of where we sit, we have an equal responsibility in the transformation in our thinking and the way we behave towards each other and the environment,” he said.
The President said that the focus ought to be on efficiency, transparency, and accountability.
He emphasised that the government must be more proactive in identifying and addressing the needs of citizens, rather than waiting for complaints and criticisms.
“I urge all of us to engage in a renewal of thinking. A renewal of purpose and a renewal of commitment towards our country and towards each other. Investment and money cannot bring about that renewal. That renewal must come through a personal commitment. Through personal change to advance back better interpersonal behaviours,” he said.
President Ali also stressed the importance of collaboration between the government and the private sector, saying that partnerships are essential to achieving the goals of a service-oriented culture.
He called on business leaders to work with the government to identify areas where private sector expertise could be leveraged to improve services and deliver better outcomes for citizens.
“In ongoing works alone in Region Three, more than a billion US dollars is invested here in this region from the public and private sectors…. In ongoing projects from the public and private sectors in this region, we collectively, as a country, are investing $200 billion. Can you imagine…a system that was institutionally designed to implement a $10 billion programme in maybe five years is now tasked with implementing a $200 billion programme in three years?
“This is the reality. This is a circumstance that confronts us in this region and this is not the story of Region Three, this is not the story of Leonora; this is the story of every single region in this country. Every community is being transformed at an unimaginable pace,” he said.
The President’s speech was met with enthusiasm from both government officials and business leaders, who praised his vision for a more service-oriented culture.
The Head of State used the opportunity to call on all Guyanese to embrace the new service-oriented culture and work together to create a better future for the country.
“People-centred development is crucial for our country. Mind my words, not party-centred development, people-centred development. That is what the People’s Progressive Party/Civic is about; people-centred development, putting people at the front, putting people at the centre and working from behind to advance those at the centre and those at the front,” he said.
President Ali’s speech marks a significant shift in the government’s approach to service delivery and signals a new era of collaboration between the government and the private sector.
With a renewed focus on efficiency, transparency, and accountability, Guyana is poised to become a leader in service delivery and a model for other countries in the region.
Some ongoing developmental projects in Region Three include the $11.8 billion Schoonord-to-Crane four-lane highway which is expected to be completed before the end of the year.
Additionally, the US$300 million Vreed-en-Hoop shore-base facility is expected to play a major role in transforming Region Three into a major player in Guyana’s oil-and-gas sector. The project involves the development and utilisation of natural-gas resources for domestic power generation, as well as other industrial and commercial uses.
Meanwhile, the $US 25 million Nismes wharf is intended to supplement the region’s development, including the gas-to-energy project at Wales, and will create significant opportunities for businesses and for Guyanese. Ninety-nine per cent of the workforce will be locals, which signals enormous opportunities for the people of that region and by extension, all Guyanese.
