–job creation, infrastructure, education, healthcare advancements, housing, among areas of top priority

AFTER a successful campaign for the Local Government Elections (LGEs), Vice-President of Guyana and the General Secretary of the governing People’s Progressive Party (PPP), Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, affirmed, on Thursday, that the government will return to its aggressive development agenda.

Dr. Jagdeo, during a press conference at the Office of the President, said part of this development drive was being fuelled by efforts to enhance economic diplomacy with international partners.
According to the Vice-President: “The President [Dr. Irfaan Ali] has been engaged in a major push internationally, not political diplomacy, but economic diplomacy. And so, what he has done is open up a lot of doors to the financial institutions that we have had traditional relations with and there are the new ones coming, appearing now, and we are developing relations with them.”
Guyana recently secured US$150 million from the Saudi Fund, at two per cent interest; this Dr. Jagdeo said is impressive because if one takes a look at the current market, most US-based loans attract an interest rate of five-six per cent.

Those funds have enabled the government to accelerate its housing drive, as US$100 million will go immediately towards that sector.

“So this loan would allow us to accelerate our housing programme…. we’re about 30,000 now [out of the 50,000 housing solutions goal],” Dr. Jagdeo remarked, adding that in Region Three (Essequibo Islands- West Demerara) alone there are 14,000 applicants waiting on allocation.

“You’ve heard what we said on the campaign trail that APNU gave away all the lands at Wales. We’re trying to take back some of those lands for housing,” the Vice-President said.

He also said that numerous road works are being done across the country, even in hinterland areas like Regions One and Nine.

“So, we’re just refocusing the entire government after the hiatus of the campaign on the things that matter to people [like] job creation, healthcare,” Dr. Jagdeo said.

He reaffirmed that the government is also moving ahead with the design for the four hospitals in the hinterland regions.

There is no shortage of funding for this and other projects, as more foreign institutions are expressing an active interest in making funds available to Guyana.

Dr. Jagdeo referenced the strengthened relationship with the Islamic Development Bank, which the Opposition had failed to create. He also made note of the US$350 million that Qatar loaned Guyana.

He related: “In Qatar, the President was there, met with the mayor and others. We’re looking at about $350 million line of credit from their agency.”

Additionally, regarding recent discussions, Dr. Jagdeo said the government is working with the United Arab Emirates’ two funding agencies, which have expressed interest in funding a few developmental projects in Guyana.

He also said that EUR $300 million that will come from the UK Export Finance, will fund the pediatric and maternal facilities in Ogle and the New Amsterdam hospital.