–President Ali stresses country’s push to embrace new wave of industrial revolution
GUYANA is now actively implementing bold, forward-looking initiatives to drive digitisation and secure its place in the modern economy, President Dr. Irfaan Ali has said.
“The future of the world will be digital, the future of the economy will be digital, and the future of work will be digital…We’re not investing to please consultants. We’re not investing to follow global trends blindly. We’re investing because this is where global opportunity is being created.
Digital technology is now the backbone of every major industry,” President Ali said last Friday, while launching the Guyana Digital School.
According to the President, the Fourth Industrial Revolution is advancing at unprecedented speed, reshaping every major sector and redefining how economies grow.
Guyana, he stressed, cannot afford to approach this evolution slowly or passively, particularly as digital systems become the foundation of modern productivity and competitiveness.
“The world will not slow down for Guyana. Technology will not pause for us to catch up. Opportunity will not freeze in time until we are ready. We must prepare now. We must invest now. We must train now. We must adapt now,” he said.
The President emphasised that Guyana must evolve from relying primarily on natural resources to cultivating a knowledge-driven model built on innovation, industrial capability and high-skilled digital talent.
Achieving this, he noted, requires rapid and comprehensive investment in digital literacy, infrastructure and training, particularly as the pandemic exposed significant gaps in readiness.
President Ali maintained that technological progress will not slow to accommodate countries that lag behind, and that Guyana must act decisively to prepare its population for the evolving digital landscape.
The country recently began registration for electronic Identification cards (E-IDS).
The exercise collects data including a person’s name, address, national ID number, passport number, Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN), photograph, driver’s licence, marriage certificate, birth certificate and deed poll documentation.
Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, last week reaffirmed the government’s commitment to transparency and robust protections as they move ahead with a phased approach with preparations for the full rollout of the country’s Electronic Identification system.
Nandlall made this known while speaking on his weekly programme, ‘Issues in the News’, during which he stated that the administration is laying a “modern foundation” supported by comprehensive legislation and extensive groundwork to ensure the system is implemented securely and in accordance with the law.
The Attorney General reminded the public that the National Assembly last year passed two key pieces of legislation that underpin the initiative, the Digital Identity Card Act and the Data Protection Act, both of which he said demonstrate the government’s vision and commitment to digitisation.
He emphasised that data-driven development is a hallmark of modern governance globally, noting that data accumulation and use and digitisation are now indispensable tools that guide social, economic and infrastructural decision-making, as he further added that Guyana intends to adopt these same tools.
Earlier this year, Guyana installed electronic gates (e-gates) at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA).
These innovative gates revolutionise the travel process, offering passengers faster check-in times, smoother security screenings, and a more convenient overall experience.
The new system, which is among several new digital initiatives was introduced to allow for pre-screening of passengers, and the use of automated gates, where travellers can simply swipe their identification documents for expedited entry.
