–says President Ali
GUYANA is building an economy that is competitive, resilient, and sustainable to provide global leadership, and in 2024, more networking opportunities along with a policy framework will be created to promote the inclusion of women in the country’s growing economy.
This was disclosed by President Dr. Irfaan Ali on Sunday during an engagement with several stakeholders from the private sector.
“If you look at the role women are playing in our society, and not only the role they are playing now, but the areas they are diversifying themselves in, for example oil and gas [and] construction, you have many women-led construction companies now. You have building companies that are owned by women; you have companies in agriculture,” the president said while responding to questions from Abigail Loncke, Executive Director of SISPRO, a women-led Guyanese company that recently secured two oil blocks.
Loncke was joined by Padma De Lima, a Senior Executive at ANSA McAL Trading (GUYANA); Gabrielle Mohamed, a post-colonial writer who specialises in prose, poetry and drama; Rowena Elliot, who serves as President of the Women’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry; Cristy Campbell, the President of the Guyana Table Tennis Association and Vice-President of the Guyana Olympic Association; and Abigail Ally, the co-owner of Bimichi Eco Lodge at St. Cuthbert’s Mission, and a director of the Tourism and Hospitality Association of Guyana.
During the discussion, the women posed several questions to the Head of State regarding the local private, art and sport sectors.
While addressing those questions, the Head of State noted that polices exist to ensure women can make maximum use of opportunities.
“I’ve seen the women in our country and in our private sector, and I’ve seen their approach to things, and I believe you guys can lead in a lot of what is taking place,” President Ali said.
He added: “The policy is there; I think we have one of the most advanced Constitutions, and it deals with women participating in public life. The issue is a culture. It is a shift in culture; a shift in thinking, a shift in mindset, and that shift is already occurring.”
In 2024, President Ali noted that the government will continue its work in developing a policy framework to promote entrepreneurship and business development.
Additionally, more networking opportunities will be made available to women to establish a proactive approach to support women.
“I think we have one too many symposiums now, [we need] more networking, [a] more active approach to women moving up the ladder and women having a place in society but women being agents of change. Women must carry the message of the underperformance of men in the economy,” he added.
In November, President Ali, while addressing a regional ministerial forum on gender equality and empowerment held in Georgetown had disclosed that Guyana is well on its way to surpassing global targets on gender equality and empowerment, with the implementation of several strategic policies.
Women make up 70 per cent of the participants in the Guyana Online Academy of Learning (GOAL) scholarship programme, which consists of over 20,000 individuals.
This was a programme introduced by the government to provide more access to training and tertiary education to Guyanese.
In addition to this, 74 per cent of scholarships that were granted to women through the Ministry of the Public Service, went to women.
Additionally, women make up nearly 50 per cent of the composition of the municipalities across the country.
