PRESIDENT, Dr Irfaan Ali has announced that the first six weeks of his second term will see the groundwork being laid for a sweeping range of infrastructural and economic projects aimed at accelerating national development, job creation, and regional integration.

In his inaugural address, just after taking the oath of office on Sunday morning to mark the beginning of his second term, President Ali outlined an ambitious vision to foster deeper and more lasting national unity.

Guyanese can look forward to operationalisation of the One Guyana Commission, which will place particular emphasis on public infrastructure, cultural development and national integration.

The President noted however that the country’s economic future depends not only on the ambitions and policies of government but also on the private sector which is ready to drive wealth and job creation. He explained further that collaboration between the private sector and government will propel shared prosperity.

“To support this partnership between government and the private sector, we must invest boldly in the infrastructure that underpins growth, creates jobs, and unlocks opportunities for citizens,” President Ali said.

He opined that greater success will be achieved when businesses pursue growth while ensuring fairness to their workers, upholding social responsibility, and contributing to the broader well-being of society.

WHAT ARE THE MAJOR PROJECTS?

According to President Ali, the major projects include:

Construction of a brand-new Berbice River Bridge
Development of a bridge across the Corentyne River in collaboration with Suriname
Establishment of a second gas-to-energy plant in Region Six
Creation of an Economic Zone in Berbice
Construction of a deep-water harbour
Expansion of the Demerara Harbour
Development of a national digital backbone under the Digital Guyana Project
Planning for fertiliser and natural gas plants to position Guyana as an industrial powerhouse in the region

BUILDING PROSPERITY FOR EVERY CITIZEN
While highlighting these ambitious projects to propel the country’s economic future, President Ali said development is meaningless if it does not touch people’s lives. To this end, he assured the gathering and all those listening that equal emphasis will be placed on advancing personal wealth and financial security.

“We will reduce taxes, raise disposable incomes, and continue direct cash grants. We will build prosperity in every family and home… over the next five years, we will bring more families closer to the dream of home ownership, because owning your own home is not a luxury; it is a foundation of dignity and security. We will strengthen financial inclusion so that every small entrepreneur, whether in farming, commerce, or innovation, has the access and support to start, grow, and thrive.”

Community development too will remain a central pillar in ensuring that citizens lives are improved.

“We will install tens of thousands of new streetlights across the country. We will fix community infrastructure, be it roads, drains, sanitation, beautifying our communities, recreational facilities, ground and sporting facilities. Those are the priorities of the administration,” he said, assuring that investments are made in building the strongest and most modern defence ecosystem.

He added: “Improving national security also means modernising and strengthening our police, prison, and fire services by giving them the tools, training, and resources to serve with greater efficiency, professionalism, and trust. In this way, Guyana will stand strong, stable, and secure.”

Further, the government will deeply examine ways in which future threats that emerge from misinformation through Artificial Intelligence (AI) and digital platforms can affect the lives of citizens, destroy peace and safety, and undermine democracy.

These technologies will also be leveraged to advance the delivery of healthcare and education countrywide.

“We will deliver world-class health and education services. As we roll out a first-class health system, every citizen’s health will be tracked from the earliest childhood, risks identified, and treatment provided. At the same time, our schools will be transformed into modern centres of learning, offering 21st century education, digital tools, and enhanced teaching to prepare our children for the future.”

COST OF LIVING

He vowed to confront the cost of living head on, intervening where necessary to ensure that Guyanese are guarded from global trends.

“We will intervene wherever necessary to shield our people from unfair or predatory pricing. We will boost local food production including poultry, fish, and vegetables so that our markets are filled with affordable, fresh, locally produced food,” the Head of State added.

Further outlining a comprehensive plan aimed at empowering women, the elderly, and young people, the President pledged to eliminate taxes on personal health and hygiene products, while also establishing both day-care and night-care centres to better support working mothers.

Additional initiatives include increasing access to scholarships, creating more employment opportunities, and intensifying efforts to combat domestic violence.

“We will intensify our fight against domestic violence; we must kill this now. For our elderly, we will raise pensions, send mobile health units into rural and hinterland communities, employ telemedicine and virtual clinics, and expand residential care facilities.”

Meanwhile, the nation’s youth will benefit from broader access to skills training programmes and the guarantee of free education at all levels. Housing will be made more affordable, and investment will be directed towards developing new sports infrastructure.

“Guyana must never again be a country rich in resources, but poor in living standards. We will also launch a national crusade against poverty itself. Not just the visible poverty in our streets, but the structural roots and hidden burdens that keep families from rising. We will fight it, reduce it, and ultimately eradicate it,” President Ali said.

He asserted that the key to delivering these commitments will lie in a highly efficient, service-oriented public service, one that places the citizen at the centre of every action.

The Head of State will soon name the members of his cabinet, who he said will be a group of competent men and women.

“We will dismantle the bottlenecks that frustrate citizens, cut away the red tape that slows delivery, and modernise the systems that too often stand in the way of progress,” he said.