President, Dr. Irfaan Ali’s strong commitment to ending poverty, expressed clearly at his September 7, 2025 inauguration, goes beyond political talk. It is a call to action for a “national crusade” that should resonate with every Guyanese who wants shared prosperity.

His promise to tackle not just visible poverty but also the deep-rooted issues keeping families from improving their lives deserves our strong support. This is especially true when we consider the five years of real progress that have already started changing lives across our nation.

Since 2020, the PPP/C government’s approach to reducing poverty has shown both urgency and careful planning. Instead of making empty promises, this administration has produced measurable outcomes through clear policies that address the many aspects of poverty.

The Because We Care cash grant initiative shows this commitment. It grew from its re-introduction in 2020 to help over 205,000 children with $55,000 each in 2025, which amounts to an investment of $11 billion in education. This is not just giving away money, it is a smart investment in people, helping to lower household poverty while improving educational results.
The government’s housing efforts have also made a big impact. Since 2020, over 50,000 house lots have been allocated, with 80% of lots awarded to low-income families between 2020 and 2022. This administration has systematically tackled one of the main causes of poverty.
Creating 44 new housing areas and building hundreds of homes for low- and moderate-income families is more than just developing infrastructure. It lays the groundwork for building wealth across generations.

The revival of employment has been especially noteworthy. The PPP/C government of 2020-2025 had created around 60,000 jobs since taking office, reversing the severe job losses from the previous APNU+AFC administration, which left 7,000 sugar workers without jobs and many others affected in different sectors.
Restoring the sugar estates, along with smart investments in mechanisation and hiring technical experts, showed a dedication to revitalising traditional industries while establishing a modern economy.

The GOAL scholarship programme may be the most innovative initiative in the fight against poverty. Since 2021, nearly 30,000 scholarships have been awarded, surpassing the initial goal of 20,000.

This programme not only offers education, it helps break the cycle of inter-generational poverty by ensuring that location and financial issues no longer limit educational opportunities. With 72 per cent of the beneficiaries being women, we see a focused effort to address the unique challenges of poverty for women.

We must now watch closely as the new PPP/C government under Dr. Ali’s leadership builds on the work done so far, and introduce other measures that are geared at addressing poverty at the root.