–Guyana’s 60th Independence celebrations to encapsulate greater support for creatives, tourism expansion, entertainment hubs, President Ali says

GUYANA’S 60th Independence Anniversary set to be more than a ceremonial milestone, as President Dr. Irfaan Ali announces plans to integrate bold new initiatives cementing the foundation of the country’s budding orange economy.
Speaking with reporters and students during an engagement on Tuesday, President Ali revealed that a calendar of grand celebrations will usher in the country’s 60th commemoration as an independent nation in 2026.

These celebrations, he said, will see greater support for creatives, tourism expansion, and the creation of entertainment and cultural hubs being placed at the core.
“We’re going to invest heavily in the orange economy, and our 60th anniversary gives us an enormous opportunity to kickstart that investment,” the President said.
To achieve this, the government, he said, will place emphasis on the country’s talent at a magnitude never seen before, deploying every aspect of the country’s rich tapestry and artistic talent.
A cornerstone of this strategy is the creation of a film industry and entertainment hubs, designed to give local artists a structured form of income.
The private sector has been urged to channel social expenditure into this creative push, aligning corporate social support with national cultural development.
Tourism, too, is being reimagined. Plans are underway to attract major cruise lines, and expand the country’s tourism offerings, from developing the entire seawall and a ‘green’ ecosystem with a walking trail across Georgetown to enhancing day-tour experiences such as Essequibo Island tours.
The Head of State said: “We are going to invest heavily in creating a film industry here to create entertainment hubs where our local artists can have structured forms of income.
“We are working to expand our tourism product, and, importantly, trying to get major cruise lines to come to Guyana.”
He went on to say: “Our 60th anniversary will be a grand homecoming. It’s an event-packed year in which we want all our Guyanese brothers and sisters coming back home to visit and spend time, but that has to be driven by events.”

GENERATIONAL PROJECTS
At this juncture, President Ali said the 60th Independence anniversary will also mark the launch of a new era of long-term, transformational development, anchored in technology, infrastructure, and inclusive investments.
“I want our 60th Anniversary to be remembered as that moment in history when mindset met transformation, transformation met people, and people met technology, [and] technology created systems for a new Guyana that will be one to boast of efficiency, transparency, and accountability, and one in which every Guyanese must aspire to own things the right way,” President Ali said.
The Head of State further encouraged Guyanese to take advantage of the expanding economic landscape by investing confidently in their future.
“I encourage every Guyanese to take your loans and invest. I want to see every Guyanese becoming better off than they are today, owning new, more beautiful houses and buildings, and doing it the right way. Let us pay our taxes and build a strong, beautiful economy that all of us can be proud of,” he said.

He further pointed to a series of large-scale, generational projects that will define the country’s development trajectory well beyond its 60th anniversary.
He noted that these initiatives will create new revenue streams, expand national capacity, and unlock opportunities across multiple regions.
“The 60th Anniversary will also unleash the next 100 years of generational projects for Guyana, because we will have the full ecosystem for Wales, the new airport at Rose Hall and Lethem, upgrades to all the hinterland airstrips, we will have gas-to-energy projects in Berbice, creating a new wave of generational wealth and revenue streams; that is fertiliser plants, glass factories, data centres, energy powerhouses, LNG facilities, all creating infrastructure and a logistics hub to drive opportunities.”
Collectively, the President said these investments will position Guyana as a regional logistics and infrastructure hub, creating sustained employment, fostering innovation and driving shared prosperity.
He said the government’s focus remains firmly on ensuring that growth is inclusive, forward-looking and beneficial to present and future generations of Guyanese.