THE United Nations Resident Representative Yesim Oruc recently issued a call for other nations to replicate Guyana’s development model. Among the highlighted achievements is the improved access to fresh and clean water.

According to what has been publicised, prior to August 2020, the hinterland coverage was only 46 per cent of the population. Fast forward to the end of 2022 under the PPP/C administration, that percentage has increased to 75. The projection by the end of 2023 is 85 per cent.

Many communities in the hinterland have been without access to portable water for decades. The PPP/C has provided them with a resource that is critical to their existence; for them to live comfortable, healthy and long lives. In many of these communities, villagers have to walk miles to get to the nearest water source which is either a river or a creek.
Over the last three years, the country’s march towards the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) has accelerated tremendously. The delivery of water and sanitation which includes access to fresh, clean water is one of those 17 goals which Guyana has committed to achieving by 2030.
There are signs of much effort and commitment in the other 17 areas. Among the standouts are the delivery of quality education, gender equality, the promotion of good health well-being, food security, energy and combatting climate change.

Oruc went as far as to say that this country has a development model that is “very well pinned by a very strong budgetary and planning framework on the Global Goals [and] presents a lot of lessons learned for other countries.”

The government has repeatedly explained its commitment to turning Guyana into an economic powerhouse that enriches its people and brings all services into the modern era. It is for this reason that state-of-the-art schools and hospitals are being constructed. It is for this reason that farmers are getting lots of support to increase their yields and improve the quality of crops they sell to the public.

Additionally, billions of dollars have been spent and will most likely be sent over the next few years to construct farm-to-market roads and road networks which will not only improve access to isolated parts of the country, but will boost commerce, both locally and internationally.
Business between Guyana and two of its neighbours, Brazil and Suriname, will soon become easier with the construction of a road that links Linden and Lethem and the Corentyne River Bridge respectively. The construction of the new Demerara River Bridge will also play a critical role in Guyana’s development as it will boost a number of sectors and improve the lives of those who rely on it on a daily basis.

The revenue that Guyana is receiving from oil sales is partly responsible for the praises received from Oruc. The government has already indicated that this money would be used to address national development priorities and has given its commitment that it will continue to invest in initiatives geared at expanding the economy, and improving the overall welfare of citizens.

Thursday’s announcement of the fourth offshore oil discovery for 2023 and the 46th since 2015 is a major boost for the country as it puts the country in an even better position to be one of the wealthiest nations in the hemisphere.

The government of the day has not allowed the growing oil wealth to sidetrack it from its development plans. The trajectory remains on course.
It has shown how one can use such natural wealth to lift the image of a country, turn it into a global competitor, expand its economy and improve the lives of citizens.