THERE is no time in this country’s rich history than now that a citizen would be happiest to be alive.
Guyana has grown tremendously over the past five years under the leadership of President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali, and Prime Minister Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips, supported by the indomitable Vice-President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo.
It has earned the reputation of being the fastest growing economy in the world with growth rate of 43.6 per cent recorded last year. While the growth rate has fluctuated from time to time, Guyana has maintained significant economic expansion and modernisation, especially in recent years, with figures like 63.4% in 2022 and 33.02% in 2023.
The face of Guyana’s infrastructure is changing rapidly. The roads are finally being built and redone in all parts of this country, especially the repaving of the Mandela to Homestretch Road, the construction of over 600 roads in Region Five, the start of the Linden to Mabaruma Road and Linden-Lethem Road project, the construction of the four lane-highway from Ogle to Eccles Road, the Crane to Schoonord Road, and extensive upgrades in various hinterland communities like Kwakwani and Matthews Ridge to name a few.
These projects create a network linking all parts of Guyana and creating an ease of traffic with smoother travel routes. It involves significantly increasing the standard of living and quality of life in Guyana.
And, the government has made repeated investments in the health and education sectors as it has in the other sectors of the economy. For example, the country now boasts six new state-of-the-art and modern hospitals creating thousands of jobs across this country with a spanking new regional hospital at Number 75 Village, East Berbice–Corentyne.
Plans to retool and rebuild the Georgetown Hospital are being fine-tuned with government training hundreds of personnel that the health sector needs daily to deliver reliable and efficient health care.
Similarly, one can hardly recognise Guyana’s education sector. The government, under the PPP, has built 14 secondary schools during its tenure in office compared to zero by the previous APNU+AFC Administration.
The number of primary and nursery schools that have been constructed or extended stands at approximately 78 in the last four and a half years. Teacher training has increased and so have the examination results generally, especially for Mathematics and English.
There are improvements in the working conditions for teachers, doctors, public servants and public sector employees despite a few challenges which test the government’s commitment and resilience over the years. Now, there are better paid wages and higher salaries though there continues to be a lot of room for improvement for various salaries scales.
This Ali and Phillips Administration has delivered the Oil and Gas sector reform tackling compliance and enforcement with heightened focus on improving the legislative framework and the upgrading of future PSAs.
Added to the success of Guyana’s tourism sector with the tourist arrivals and visitor arrivals in the first seven months of 2025 at 242,655, government commissioned a few private sector hotels which were built for the public.
And, the social benefits have been increased with added focus on the elderly, underprivileged communities and women. The country’s welfare and pension system have been reformed to offer their services in a more efficient manner to the public. Domestic violence and abuse remain the challenges of this sector but there are programmes and plans to tackle it as it is once again rearing its ugly head.
Much is already attached to the president’s record with housing and land. But he oversaw the delivery of 50,000 house lots to Guyanese making them homeowners and financially empowered.
This is the only modern government in history’s recollection that has achieved these things in five years. When compared to APNUAFC Administration, this government has surpassed its accomplished by ten to one. There is no comparison anymore.
However, this government needs to strengthen its stance on allegations of corruption and public malpractice. It needs to do more to tackle the mismanagement of public resources but compared to their predecessors in office, the PNC and APNUAFC, they are doing an excellent job by any standard.
It is an undisputed fact that life in Guyana is easier and much safer than it was during the days of the PNC and APNUAFC in power. The overall standard of living has improved now even as the PPP government, like others worldwide, is facing the daunting challenges presented by the cost of living and inflation. This is imported and much of the higher prices for fuel, gasoline and commodities are not passed on to Guyanese public.
Government has employed giving Guyanese a cash grant and cash transfers to targeted and structured communities to help them cushion the effects of the cost of living. But, it must do more while ensuring that it monitors Guyana’s fiscal stability.
These are better days to be a Guyanese witnessing the change and transformation taking place in Guyana. These are good days to be alive in Guyana when the country is at such a pivotal crossroad in its development and history.
On the other hand, these are also dangerous times in the country. Guyana has, this year, witnessed the steady rise of opposition forces that threaten to turn back the clock of progress and development under the guise that they could do it so much better, offering to lead with honesty, dignity, transparency and accountability.
Never-mind, these are the very same individuals that almost stole democracy from the people’s hands. Never mind, they almost run Guyana into the ground when they were given a chance to lead during the period of 2015 to 2020.
And, never mind that when they called themselves the PNC, Guyana saw its darkest days of poverty, famine, bankruptcy and racism ever. Whenever they are in government, the country quietly recedes in socioeconomic standing and starts to experience the inequalities that the opposition appears to saying are not addressed now by this government.
They stole and siphoned off billions of dollars in land, resources and more from the state and government. Yet, Aubrey Norton and Juretha Fernandes comes to the electorate as though their hands are clean and the current government hands are dirty. The PNC 2.5 is the same PNC and APNU that could not be trusted then and cannot be trusted with power now.
They cannot be trusted to manage this oil-wealth and economy when Guyana is at crossroads and such a delicate time in our history. They together have no costing or realistic analysis of the things that they are promising. It would not come as a surprise if they were falsely promising to empower the citizens then they will give them breadcrumbs.
Norton and Fernandes said nothing when the David Granger Administration failed to deliver constitutional reform and police reform. They said nothing when the government then was rocked by scandal after scandal because they were benefiting.
They feel no shame when more than 7,000 sugar workers and close to 2,000 Amerindians were fired because of political racism. That is the record that they are proud to defend.
Norton has decimated the PNC and APNU, removing its likeability. He was facing serious allegations of corruption, racism and discrimination brought against him by his own party membership and parliamentarians.
Similarly, Fernandes does not have the experience, expertise and skills to lead Guyana. She is accused of being a sellout and backstabber because she ran from AFC when the boat was sinking. She will run and leave the Guyanese people with their problems.
The other Opposition party, WIN brings inexperience, dishonesty and fake patriotism in the elections. Its leader, Azruddin Mohamed has all of the makings of a criminal and someone who will steal to save his skin. Putting bluntly, he will be taught a lesson that politics is not for poster boys and the weak at heart.
He, just like CN Sharma and the AFC, will learn that Guyanese will play in your face and still vote for a serious government like the PPP. He should stop playing ‘Ken’ in Barbie’s House. This is real life and there are real consequences at stake here. Mohamed is someone accused of not being able to read properly so how could he command a room of intellectuals, and want to president?
The AFC is dead meat and it is just afraid to close its eyes. The stakes are high for Nigel Hughes and the plan is not coming together.
If the APNU and AFC thought those parties had the PPP fooled with their fake negotiations, fake deflections and fake drama, then they have not thought at all. The PPP is well aware of the plot to use Mohamed to allegedly weaken its majority. Now the plan is backfiring and Mohamed will fail to take anything from the PPP. What’s next? The PPP is waiting and prepared.
Finally, the only choice left based upon his track record in leadership positions in and outside of government, the PPP own track record of delivering on promises, and his vision for Guyana in the next five years, is Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali.
Guyana is better off with the PPP.

DISCLAIMER: The views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Guyana National Newspapers Limited.