THE early morning meeting held by President Dr. Irfaan Ali has caught the public by surprise. It has also generated mixed reactions, and, days later, it is still a trending topic.
The President’s engagement with errant contractors executing government projects, various ministers, permanent secretaries and other technical staff was clearly the last straw. He was frustrated and saddened at how much the nation’s progress was being stymied by delayed works.

In the past, errant contractors were warned about their failure to honour their contractual obligations and complete projects on time. Many got repeated warnings to get themselves in order; others were given a second chance to redeem themselves, and, in extreme cases, contracts were terminated. However, this clearly was not enough, as this errant behaviour continued.
Since taking office, President Ali has been visiting project sites, his last being the East Bank Demerara corridor, which is experiencing a construction boom, and where the government has so far invested over $80 billion.

It was subsequent to this visit that he held the early-morning meeting at State House. President Ali asked many questions as he sought clarity and reasonable explanations as to why projects were behind schedule. In many instances, he got no satisfactory answer, which only aggravated his frustration.
Persons saw his approach as being too rough, while others agreed, mainly because they felt there should be no compromise when it comes to spending from the public purse.

President Ali is plain-spoken, which is a trait that sets him apart, and showcases how serious he is about the development of Guyana, and the improvement of the lives of all Guyanese.
How can his no-nonsense approach to matters of national importance offend anyone? As the leader of this nation, and given all the investments his government is making to put Guyana on the path of prosperity, economic viability, and self-sufficiency, he has a right to question inefficiencies, and take steps to hold those doing government-related work accountable.

During the meeting, he spoke about the lack of commitment and the breakdown in leadership, and pointed out that stern steps have to be taken to change the errant culture, and propel progress and success.
Those who fail to meet deadlines by this year-end will face termination and being blacklisted. They will be barred from bidding for government contracts, which, in the circumstances, is a fair and justifiable solution.
Given what transpired during that 90-minute-long meeting, all concerned must pull their socks up, and work for the good of this nation and its people.