-Jagdeo announces, says ambitious goals will target homeownership, improvement of all aspects of citizens’ lives

IN keeping with a policy of inclusive national celebrations, President, Dr Irfaan Ali will address the nation from Albion, Region Six, as Guyana commemorates 59 years of independence on Monday.

The government has promised that this year’s anniversary will be marked by both festivities and a clear outline of its development agenda.

“Every independence celebration is an important milestone in our country’s relatively short independent history, and it allows us an opportunity to speak to the people of our country, not only about past challenges, but also about where our country is headed,” Vice-President and General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), Dr Bharrat Jagdeo said during his Thursday news conference.

In outlining the upcoming themes of the President’s address and other ministerial engagements across the country, Dr Jagdeo said the public can expect to hear bold plans for comprehensive and inclusive growth.

“As we approach these independence celebrations, you’re going to hear about our vision to support a massive economic expansion in the future, but not just economic expansion: broad-based economic expansion that will then yield the benefits that would allow us to support the development needs of our people,” he explained.

He added that the administration’s development agenda also includes ambitious goals for homeownership and improving quality of life, particularly in the areas of education, healthcare and social welfare.

“You’re going to hear about our plans for the near term, about creating a world-class education and healthcare for the people of this country—for children, but also for the adults. You’re going to hear about our plans for the expansion of benefits and welfare to the children of the country, to the elderly and disabled—not just in the President’s speech, but in a lot of the other speeches that you will hear from ministers as they go around the country.”

He added: “The citizens of the country deserve that type of information as they plan their lives and their future, and we’re very proud in the PPP that we’ve been one of the only parties that have been able to consistently lay out that sort of vision, a positive vision for the future.”

Guyana’s 59th Independence anniversary comes at a time of rapid transformation for Guyana, buoyed by recent economic growth and expanding infrastructural development. This year’s celebrations are expected to draw large crowds, with cultural performances, fireworks and community events scheduled throughout the weekend and into Monday.

As the nation reflects on nearly six decades of independence, Jagdeo urged citizens to look ahead with optimism and shared purpose.

“I want to in advance, wish all our people a happy Independence Anniversary, and I hope that they use the opportunity for introspection. It’s not just cliche, because often people talk about it in a cliche manner, but just to really dig into the substance of how far we have come, and the difficult path that we walked   in these short years, or relatively short years as a newly independent country,” Dr Jagdeo said.