-jobs, growth, more opportunities included for Guyanese

THE People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) will formally outline their 2025-2030 blueprint for Guyana this Monday, party General Secretary Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo said on Thursday.

During a press conference at Freedom House, he said that the launch will formally outline the roadmap for sustained growth, job creation, and a diversified economy.

Framing his administration as the only political force with both a vision and the capacity to deliver, Dr. Jagdeo further pointed out that no other party has even attempted to address the macroeconomic management needed to keep Guyana’s economy growing but instead other parties have focused on economically unrealistic promises.

While stating that all the opposition speaks about is cash transfers, he said: “Nothing about creation of wealth at the individual, household, company level and the national level, and then generating jobs for people in a diversified setting.”

The PPP/C within recent months have outlined what they are planning to do in their next term-an ambitious agenda focused economic diversification.

Despite setbacks by the novel COVID-19 pandemic, the General Secretary said that the party has delivered on its promises and today, Guyanese enjoy more jobs, better healthcare access, quality education and easier access to homeownership compared to 2015-2020 under the previous government.

Dr. Jagdeo said: “What you will hear on Monday is just more of a formal presentation of what we’ve been talking about for several months because we believe that people should know what is going to happen in the next five years and we did not await a formal presentation to talk about that.

“So, you’re going to hear more about the context in which all of these policies will be implemented.”

Strong emphasis on growth, supporting growth, job creation and opportunities will be formally outlined, along with the policies that will be put in place to support the creation of more jobs, getting more investments in place, getting people to start small businesses etc.
There will be continued expansion and development of the education sector.

The General Secretary said: “The guy who never finished school, we have to get him to do something. We have to get him studying again academically or being trained, equipped with a skill, right down to those who want to study at the highest level, and it must all be free. It must all be free. Our children will be supported…There’ll be an increase in the Because We Care grant. There’ll be a transportation grant so families will get more money directly from the government. We will do school feeding programmes, so when our kids go to school, they can then get a good meal there. We will continue to pay for exams and support tuition.

“We’re going to use AI to strengthen the way we deliver the curriculum. Our teachers would be better trained, better paid. That’s what we’re working on because we believe all of our people must get the best quality education in the world and we want to invest the money in that.”

Housing will be also a major focus, with the government aiming to clear the application backlog and prepare plots of land for large-scale home construction, while keeping mortgages low.

The plan also includes addressing community issues through the building of commercial parking lots to remove heavy-duty trucks from residential areas, new streetlights, security cameras, and improved drainage.

Last month, the PPP/C held a nationwide consultation on its 2025-2030 manifesto at the Ramada Princess Hotel on the East Bank of Demerara.

President Dr. Irfaan Ali and Dr. Jagdeo and other executives listened to Guyanese from all walks of life for several hours during a wide consultation.

Outlining his ambitious roadmap to chart Guyana on a course of advanced global development, President Ali touched on several plans, ranging from less taxes, more support to Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs), rural infrastructure and tourism.