GUYANA is growing and rapidly developing. Things are not the same as they were in 2020, 2015 or 2011. Change and modernity are engulfing the physical infrastructure, transforming bridges, roads, buildings and other essential public thoroughfares.

Additionally, the way of life is evolving rapidly for all Guyanese, improving their quality of life and standard of living, because of the constant investments in their social well-being.
Who could have known that Guyana would be able to establish 12 new state-of-the-art hospitals for instance in the health sector in five years or train hundreds of thousands of nurses, doctors, health professionals and other staff, especially in telemedicine and other forms of modern medicine?

Who could have imagined that the current government would put such emphasis on education, focusing on building new and modern schools in every single region that needs them, amounting to billions of dollars?

And, the PPP/C government is dramatically changing the game, balancing out the quality of education offered in urban areas and the hinterland with heavy investments in students and teachers. The government has secured a pay deal with the Guyana Teachers Union.

A new school will be constructed at Tabatinga in Region Nine for $182M, Nismes in Region Three for $3.2B, and Jawalla in Region Seven for $231M, to name a few. And, a new and modern programme to tackle improving students’ performance in Mathematics.

Who could have imagined the progress made in tourism and commerce, public services, public affairs, foreign affairs, labour, national security, law and order, social services, and Amerindian Affairs in these short four years?

Sure, there are things that Guyanese are not pleased about such as the power and electricity situation (GPL), or the slow progress made thus far on constitutional reform. Their concerns are understandable and valid.

The current government must look at them with a view to pushing progress forward in these areas too. The government must not become complacent now. It must continue to look at ways and means of tackling the rising cost of living.

Apart from that, it must continue to tackle corruption and flaws in the public procurement system; move forward with its plans for Guyana and continue its transformation. This Christmas, a few changes must be made before we embark on the new year.

We must start to hold the opposition parties accountable in the very same way that we expect the current government to be accountable. The opposition gets away with murder in Guyana. They make allegations left, right and centre about people, the government and institutions in Guyana without providing an iota of evidence. Nothing. Zilch! The media does not grill them or haul them across the coals.

This Christmas, this must stop! The media must keep the same energy that they have with PPP GS with Norton who is the PNC/R Leader and real GS. It must ask hard questions of Norton and those ‘baby’ politicians that sit next to him every week.

So, they must not get away next year with twisting the facts or telling lies as Norton has done time and time again. If they have to fact-check him, they must do it. Norton can become more honest when dealing with public business.

Maybe, it would be prudent to get some form of a lie-detector instrument for the combined opposition, especially Nigel Hughes and Norton, because they are prone to lie as much as they blink their eyes. Telling tales and conjuring up a story comes naturally to these ‘gyaff’ men.

Secondly, Nima Flue-Bess, Ganesh Mahipaul, Annette Ferguson, Maureen Philadelphia, Ronald Cox, Ronald Sinclair, Dineshwar N Jaiprashad and Amanza Walton-Desir are singled out for their seeming hard work and dedication in parliament to annoy, complicate, misrepresent the facts and gesticulation. If you are an ordinary person, you can never understand what they are saying in parliament and which motion or bill they are contributing to. They are speaking passionately in tongues that only they can understand while they believe they are making an intelligent and important point. It’s not cute or nice when one is the only clown in the show and thinks it is a palace. The oratorical skills are certainly not held by any one of these parliamentarians.
On a more serious note, the opposition must vet their speakers in parliament and at rallies. For the year 2024, they have been repetitive, uninspiring and underwhelming, to say the least.
Thirdly, the Political “Thief” Award of the year goes to both Norton and Hughes this Christmas for stealing a whole political party and allegedly twisting the outcome.

Not only have they stolen the objectivity and seriousness with which we have long viewed the opposition leaders of the past, but they have made the post they hold a comedy fest. This is unfortunate that no one takes them seriously.

Fourthly, PPP General Secretary Bharrat Jagdeo must be recognised for having one of, if not the longest, press conferences in the history of Guyana, the Caribbean and farther afield. The press conference, though dealing with the lies of the opposition, government policies and issues, can be a bit lengthy at times, but the public stays put and are engulfed in every political explanation that the PPP has to offer them. It’s a thrilling exercise and a master class in politics. It seems as though the time flies once it starts and Jagdeo starts taking on the issues as only Jagdeo can. It hits the nerve centre of the current opposition, creating a frenzy and forcing all of the old and new opposition pundits to crawl out of their holes.

Finally, this Christmas, we must celebrate the fact that we have overcome so many different obstacles and challenges in our country’s journey to become developed. We must take pride in being Guyanese and in being treated as first-class citizens. We must continue to develop our patience and zeal for the things that are coming slowly but surely around. We must also be grateful for the promises, pledges and commitments made by the ruling party and wait for the other things to come.

We must be also thankful for our family and God. So, a happy and prosperous Christmas in advance.

DISCLAIMER: The views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Guyana National Newspapers Limited.