This letter is presented in two parts and three sections. The first part is inspired by several events and accomplishments that have made me deeply proud as a Guyanese currently living overseas. In this section, I will also highlight some of the achievements I am privileged to have contributed to during my years of service to the people of Guyana.

It has never been my personality to engage in conversation (heated or otherwise) around any issue particularly in relation to politics or religion.

However, I recently indicated to a very close friend (a Guyana resident) that I plan to write a letter to the daily newspapers, expressing my pride in the rapid development currently ongoing in my homeland.

My friend proceeded to advise me against inserting myself in the public domain as he was aware of negative opinions of me by persons both within and outside of the government.

My response is that criticism is one of the risks associated with occupying high-profile public positions. Once you are no longer in the loop, people will seek to take credit for your achievements or claim that you were simply a bystander and failed to make any meaningful contributions in the roles that you occupied.

PART 1 (Section 1)

Notwithstanding such possibilities, I have chosen to write this letter as a reflection of my lifelong dedication and patriotism to my birth country. From an early age, I have felt a deep and enduring pride in Guyana, regardless of which political party held power.

As a young professional working at the now-defunct Guyana Agricultural Development Bank (GAIBANK), I had the privilege of travelling to several of its branches outside Georgetown. One of my earliest assignments took me to Linden, and I can still vividly recall the awe I felt as the driver turned onto the Linden Highway. That same sense of pride returned years later when I first visited the National Cultural Centre and, subsequently, the Providence Stadium.

Even as a child, moments like putting on my Young Brigade uniform filled me with patriotism and a sense of belonging. Unlike many Guyanese whose loyalty shifts depending on political affiliations, my pride has always been rooted in Guyana’s progress and the way our nation is perceived internationally.

In fact, I can say without hesitation that the past four years have been among the proudest of my life as a Guyanese. I remember nearly falling out of my chair with joy during President Dr. Irfaan Ali’s interview on BBC’s HARDtalk. In that moment, our President firmly asserted that Guyana would not be lectured on climate change by countries that themselves continue to exploit natural resources while disregarding our sovereign right to responsibly develop ours.

President Ali’s defense of Guyana’s position was powerful. He reminded the world that with over 85% forest cover, Guyana maintains the lowest deforestation rate globally and remains a carbon sink, even as we responsibly leverage our oil resources to improve the lives of our citizens.

For me, an avid follower of international news, this was the first time I had witnessed a leader from the developing world stand so confidently on the global stage and challenge the narrative of a major Western broadcaster.

Mr. Editor, this is an achievement that all Guyanese—regardless of politics—should acknowledge. Dr. Ali is, in my view, an innovative and decisive leader. Beyond his policy positions, what stands out most is his authenticity. He is down-to-earth, empathetic, and unafraid to show emotion in public—qualities I deeply admire in any leader.

In keeping with the spirit of this letter, I would also like to highlight some achievements that I had the privilege of contributing to during my time in Guyana’s public service and through work with the donor community, state boards, and project execution units:

• Establishing the Caribbean Low Vision Centre (2000): Collaborated with Dr. Arvel Grant, then President of the Caribbean Society for the Blind and Visually Impaired, to create the region’s first Low Vision Centre at the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPHC). This initiative was primarily funded by the Canadian Government, with support from Guyana’s government and other donors. Notably, Dr. Michele Ming was the first optometrist to volunteer her services at the centre.

• Securing Critical Health Infrastructure: Successfully advocated to the World Bank for the reallocation of US$1.5M from the Civil Society HIV/AIDS Grant to finance Guyana’s first incinerator for human body parts—responding directly to an urgent appeal from GPHC’s then-CEO.

• Expanding Medical Training: Helped channel IDB loan resources to support the training of anesthesiologists across state and private hospitals, which directly reduced surgical backlogs nationwide.
• Transforming the Guyana National Newspaper (GNN): As Chairman, I spearheaded the most significant restructuring of GNNL since 1975, when it transitioned from Guyana Graphic Ltd. This transformation included securing support from an international health agency to publish special supplements (inserted in the daily newspapers) on flood-related diseases—distributed newspapers for several weeks to affected communities by boats—free of charge.

With a dedicated team, I helped obtain government funding to replace the outdated printing press, remove asbestos roofing, renovate staff facilities, and provide laptops to the editorial department. Importantly, I personally secured non-governmental funds to cover much of the associated cost. These efforts, combined with stronger sales, advertising, and innovative revenue strategies, restored profitability to the entity and improved staff welfare.

PART 2 (Section 1)

The second part of this letter highlights the breathtaking development Guyana has witnessed over the past four years, as well as some of the visionary programs the current administration intends to implement over the next five years.

When assessing a nation’s progress, it is important to look beyond traditional economic indicators such as GDP. People often consider quality of life, access to healthcare and education, safety, infrastructure, social services, environmental management, and political stability. By these measures, Guyana has made extraordinary strides, achievements that are recognized both at home and abroad.

With this in mind, I wish to emphasize several forward-looking initiatives that stand out as transformative:

• Compulsory Civics Education in Schools: All schools will soon teach civics—or citizen’s education—as part of the national curriculum. This initiative aims to build social awareness and responsibility among students, combat misinformation, and strengthen civic engagement. Importantly, it will go beyond the traditional lessons, incorporating constitutional rights, democratic values, national unity, and moral teachings from Guyana’s three major religious traditions.
• Strengthening the Social Safety Net: The government’s focus is not only on rapid growth but also on ensuring inclusive development. By increasing disposable income, providing targeted support for low- and middle-income families, and empowering young professionals, disadvantaged groups will have a stronger foundation for upward mobility and an improved quality of life.
• Building Community Wealth: At the heart of the government’s economic vision is an emphasis on community empowerment. Support for small and medium-sized enterprises, co-investment programs, part-time employment opportunities, and direct funding for sectors such as the arts, forestry, fishing, and mining will spread wealth more evenly. Easier access to credit—through lower interest rates, reduced collateral requirements, and subsidies for low-income housing—will further drive economic inclusion.
• Lowering Energy Costs: Guyanese households and businesses will soon benefit from a 50 percent reduction in electricity and cooking gas costs once the landmark gas-to-energy project becomes operational. This will not only ease the cost of living but also make Guyana more competitive regionally and globally.

PART 2 (Section 2)

Looking ahead, there are several additional areas that deserve urgent consideration to further accelerate Guyana’s progress:

• Philanthropy and NGO Regulation: With rapid development comes greater opportunities for charitable giving. Guyana needs legislation that both encourages philanthropy and ensures NGOs are properly constituted, accountable, and transparent. While many NGOs contribute meaningfully, others exist in name only. Clear regulation will strengthen civil society and ensure that funds generated from donors, government or fundraising initiatives, serve the public good.
• Advocacy Groups vs. Political Parties: Instead of proliferating new political parties, Guyana would benefit from stronger advocacy groups that can hold government accountable on specific issues. Movements such as “Mothers in Black” demonstrate the power of civic pressure to drive reform. In addition, think tanks bringing together the nation’s brightest minds could play a critical role in shaping policy for long-term development.
• Supporting Boys and Young Men: Around the world, boys and young men face growing challenges—social isolation, educational underachievement, and mental health struggles. While President Ali’s “Men on Mission” initiative is a positive step, it must be broadened to include collaboration across the public, private, and civil sectors. We must ensure our boys and young men are equipped with the tools, guidance, and opportunities to thrive.
• Programs for Seniors: As life expectancy rises, Guyana must invest more in the well-being of its senior citizens. Government, private sector, and civil society should partner to create community canters offering physical, cultural, and educational activities—from walking clubs and gardening to music and book clubs. Seniors should also be encouraged to volunteer, passing on their knowledge and experience to younger generations. This not only benefits society but helps seniors maintain mobility, cognitive health, and a sense of purpose.
• Stronger Inter-Ministerial Collaboration: From my experience in public service, I know that true development cannot occur in silos. Ministries and agencies must enhance coordination to maximize resources, share expertise, and ensure long-term program sustainability. While progress has been made, more can be done to institutionalize inter-sectoral collaboration as standard government practice.

In concluding this section, I wish to stress that in many cases I may be merely reiterating initiatives that have already begun or will be under consideration when the government returns to office. In future correspondence I will – based on my own experience – address a number of other issues such as: Reviewing how state boards operate in this rapidly changing environment, the management of donor funding (i.e. loans and grants) to ensure maximum benefits through collaboration and other innovative initiatives without comprising the objectives and the desired results defined in the project document, and mental health related programs expanded across all sectors.

Mr. Editor, as a Guyanese, whose focus is on the expanding development of my country I am truly impressed with the progress that has taken place in only four years. This did not happen by chance but by innovative thinking, proper planning, and timely execution pushed by a government laser focused on improving the lives of my fellow citizens living in all ten regions. However, I would like to conclude by making an appeal to all my follow Guyanese; look, we are in the big league now, we are the fastest growing economy in the world, we are a player on the world stage, we cannot continue think and operate with the same mindset. The government will provide the leadership but if there is not a significant effort made by the population to grasp and adapt to this new reality and modern way of thinking, Guyana’s development will be hampered.

I long for the day when all Guyanese can put aside political differences and seize this historic moment by working together as one proud nation. For too long, we have heard the phrase “Guyana has potential.” Today, we are finally seeing that potential being realized. The time is now let us embrace unity and move forward together, once the dust has settled after the upcoming elections.

Happy Voting

Yours truly,

Keith Burrowes