-says ‘targeted and serious’ investments will be made to help young professionals balance career development and family life

PRESIDENT, Dr. Irfaan Ali has pledged “targeted and serious” investments in childcare infrastructure and services aimed at supporting young professionals, particularly women, who are navigating career aspirations and family life.

Speaking at the opening of the new Enmore Regional Hospital, President Ali acknowledged the pressing concerns raised by young female professionals across the country.

“I had an engagement with young people, especially young women, and they were telling me that they are all young professionals because of this government. They all have their degrees, master’s or pursuing PhDs,” the President said, adding, “But it comes, and they sacrifice, and everything comes, and they sacrifice. But what’s the sacrifice, especially [for] our young females, is that they postpone their own family development. They don’t have that support mechanism to allow them to pursue both at the same time.”

Recognising the toll such sacrifices place on women and families, President Ali underscored the importance of establishing childcare facilities that allow professionals to thrive both personally and professionally.

“So, we have to fix this, because we want our young professionals and young people to also enjoy the balance of life, and one of the important things to ensure [that they] enjoy that balance in life is daycare facilities for their children,” he stated.

He announced that over the next five years, the government will embark on a nationwide initiative to build daycare facilities, ensuring support for young professionals and women in particular.

“So, in the next five years, we will be building the daycare facilities across our country to support our young people and young professionals and their development, especially women in our society,” President Ali declared.

Highlighting the demographics of Guyana’s educated population, the President noted that more than 70 per cent of graduates are women, a trend that is expected to be reflected in the national workforce.

“I believe also that given the fact that more than 70 per cent of our graduates are women, we have to plan ahead, because that will manifest itself in our workforce, and when it manifests itself in our workforce, we have to create enabling infrastructure to support them in their working environment,” he added.
The President said that these investments in child-friendly infrastructure are designed to dismantle barriers that force many women especially to delay starting or expanding their families due to a lack of reliable childcare.

This announcement builds upon a series of pro-family policies rolled out by the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) government since 2020.

Notably, in March of this year, the government introduced a $100,000 cash grant for every child born to a Guyanese mother, a programme hailed as a lifeline for new mothers and a firm commitment to the future of the country’s children.

The child grant complements existing measures such as the $50,000 “Because We Care” cash grant for school-aged children and a broad range of healthcare initiatives aimed at improving family welfare.