HIGHLIGHTING significant achievements and progress made over the past four years, President, Dr Irfaan Ali has signalled that his government is building a Guyana that works for all its people.

The Head of State was at the time addressing the flag-raising ceremony for Guyana’s 55th Republic Anniversary, during which he noted that since 2020, the People’s Progressive Party/Civic administration has set out on a path to transform the country.

On the infrastructural front, Dr Ali noted that Guyana’s landscape has undergone a phenomenal transformation, marked by both ground-breaking mega projects and others at the local level.

Some of the major initiatives he highlighted include the ongoing gas-to-energy project, the construction of the New Demerara Harbour Bridge and the new Mackenzie-Wismar River Bridge, all of which he said are revolutionising transportation and energy security.

The ground-breaking gas-to-energy project is set to add 300 megawatts of power to the national grid and will slash electricity costs in half, thus boosting industrial development.

Dr Ali added that the construction of the Mandela to Diamond Road and the Ogle to Eccles Road artery link are all playing a part in economic activity and reducing travel time and congestion.

Further, the Guyanese leader highlighted the ongoing works on the Linden to Mabura Road and the acquisition and operation of the MV Ma Lisha serving as part of the expansion of access to previously unserved regions and even the upgrading and construction of more than 10,000 community roads.
“An astounding feat in so short a time!” he emphasised.

Meanwhile, the country’s agricultural sector has achieved significant milestones with the expansion of rice production, as over $70 billion has been spent on improving infrastructure to support enhanced production and higher yields to ease the burdens on farmers.

Additionally, in the agricultural sector, the government has pushed the cultivation of non-traditional crops which has flourished, with the acreage increasing by more than 30 per cent.

On another note, President Ali also highlighted that significant strides have been made in local governance.

Further to this, Guyana’s position on the global scene has been significantly strengthened over the last four years.

Dr Ali affirmed that efforts to defend Guyana’s territorial integrity have been paramount as Guyana has robustly presented its case before the International Court of Justice.

“We have also successfully enjoyed widespread support for the respect for our sovereignty and territorial integrity,” the President added.

Strategic engagements have also been deepened with traditional and like-minded partners both regionally and globally, including in the Middle East where Guyana now has an expanded diplomatic presence.

He went on to say, “My dear friends, it is important for us to understand that over the last four years, we led a government to build partnerships — partnership with the private sector; partnership in the creation of jobs; partnership in improving the conditions of our children; partnership in empowering women; partnership with our miners; partnership to see improved economic and social conditions for our Amerindian brothers and sisters.”

With this in mind, President Ali disclosed that improvements have been seen in health, housing, education and labour, among other sectors, owing to the policies that have been implemented by the PPP/C administration over the last four years.

Dr Ali said: “Our vision for Guyana is one where every child has a quality education and the opportunity to achieve their dreams, where women are empowered to take their rightful place in every sector of society, where workers are treated with dignity and fairness and where young people are equipped with the skills and opportunities to lead our nation forward.”