THE significant economic resurgence in Essequibo has been emphasised by the General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), Bharrat Jagdeo, who has elaborated on the government’s investments and their resulting enhanced infrastructure and opportunities.
During a recent press conference at Freedom House, he told reporters about the targeted government support in regions such as Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) in critical sectors such as education and agriculture.
The General Secretary had several engagements in Region Two, including with the Chamber of Commerce.

He recalled the bleak state of Guyana under the previous A Partnership for National Unity+Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) and the groundswell of despair among the people.
However, Guyana today is starkly different under the PPP/C government, he explained.

He said: “I asked at the meeting how many persons are looking for a job and don’t have a job and very few people would raise their hands at the meetings. And I remember going in opposition, it was a groundswell. People had no jobs whatsoever.”
Agriculture, the lifeblood of the region, also faced major setbacks, given the neglect from the previous coalition administration, Jagdeo explained.

“So, we have been extremely successful at generating more jobs because of the dynamism in the non-oil economy too. But mainly at the lower end, but as you get more technically qualified, we still have a gap there and that’s what we talk about all the time because people who are more technically qualified, they have to create more opportunities on the Essequibo coast,” he said.

Business owners are actively searching for labourers, Jagdeo said while explaining the labour shortage issue.
The General Secretary stated: “One business owner said to me, ‘I’m prepared to build living quarters to keep the people here. I’m looking for like five, six persons now and I can’t find labour,’ which is a far cry from where we were.”

The government’s investment in the Community Service Officers (CSOs) programme has also empowered Amerindian communities, which is a tremendous stride given that those workers were sacked under the previous coalition administration.
The General Secretary explained: “We now have, across the country, nearly 3,000 CSOs and maybe another 2,000 persons who are working on the part-time jobs in Amerindian villages.”
He also stated that the governing PPP/C remains deeply rooted in communities, consistently working for the people year after year.

While the political opposition has only now taken an interest in citizens with elections on the horizon, Jagdeo emphasised that the PPP has been steadily making inroads and delivering real improvements in people’s lives. As evidence of this progress, he pointed to a notable shift in public discourse — from widespread complaints about systemic issues to more personal concerns, reflecting the tangible advancements under the PPP’s leadership.

“This is a major qualitative leap forward because I recall when we just got back into office, how dominant those issues were at the public engagements we had. People used to say, ‘we’re driving on mud dams, we don’t have a proper road, we don’t have service at the health centre.’ All of those issues have receded substantially and now we’re engaged with a lot of individualised problems,” the General Secretary said.

Jagdeo emphasised that when citizens voice their concerns, it should not be seen as a negative. Rather, he views it as a constructive opportunity — a chance for the government to listen, respond, and continue enhancing the quality of life for all Guyanese.
“The key thing is that we’re (PPP) the only ones who’ve been doing this consistently…Which political party has done this or any individual, in those years? You see them now talking about going on the ground because we are approaching elections.
“They don’t do this in a sustained way, out of concern for people. They just show up at election time.”

He noted that even when the PPP was in opposition; the party remained on the ground consistently. In fact, in his first year as Opposition Leader, he recalled that he had over 80 community meetings, where he listened to the people. In 2015, the APNU+AFC promised human and social development, but instead, Guyanese faced a burdensome period. That APNU+AFC government hiked the salaries of its ministers and placed Value Added Tax (VAT) on electricity, water, basic food items, among other amenities, shortly after taking office.

Guyanese also faced over 300 new taxes, which caused an immense strain on the backs of citizens. The PPP, since assuming office, has not only reversed those taxes, but the administration has also created opportunities in areas such as education, housing, employment and small business support.