–boost competitiveness, maximise productive hours to earn, President Ali says

COGNISANT that Guyana’s development hinges on the capability of its people, President Dr. Irfaan Ali has outlined a vision focused on creating a vibrant workforce capable of competing at the highest global levels.
During his remarks at an event last week, the Guyanese Head of State said this ambitious goal can only be achieved through strategic investments in key sectors that are crucial to economic growth.

“The foundation of our development rests in our people. The foundation in our development now and in the future rests in our ability to develop citizens and our human capital that can compete at every single level global,” President Ali said.
He stressed that the government is not just laying out policies, but also actively driving change by leveraging existing technologies and embracing both the challenges and opportunities of the future.
With a focus on bridging the gap between Guyana’s current human capital and the global standards of excellence, the President’s plan aims to position the country as a competitive force on the world stage.

He pointed to the government’s US$120 million investment in Guyana’s Technical Training College, which aims to not only train the best in oil and gas, but also to set the benchmark for global training, especially in deep-sea exploration and operation.
Dr. Ali said: “When we spoke with our partners, we said to them we’re not just interested in building a technical training centre. We want a technical training centre that is the best in the world that offers the best capability and opportunity, because we want it to be the global hub for deep-sea training.

“And we have been able to get that and have been building that out to serve the rest of the world.”

Further, President Ali pointed to the rapid growth and development taking place across Guyana, with new hotels, resorts, restaurants, and other facilities springing up nationwide.
However, he emphasised that the country must focus not only on construction but on training its people to service these new facilities.
“Facilities are being built, but we have to service those facilities. We have to ensure that we train our people to work in those facilities. We recognise that we have to give our small population the optimal opportunity to utilise their productive time to earn,” President Ali said, underscoring the importance of equipping Guyanese with the skills needed to meet the demands of an expanding economy.

He also stressed that vision and ideas alone are not enough to drive change, noting: “Vision and ideas without work is dead, and the best of vision is dead without work.”
The President added that that concrete action, commitment, and the right opportunities are essential for transforming ideas into tangible progress.

The President noted that to truly empower the population, the government must not only urge citizens to maximise their productive time but also provide them with the opportunities and resources to do so effectively.
He said: “We realised too that we can’t just tell the population maximise your productive time without giving them the opportunity.”