–President Ali says, urges Guyanese to embrace mindset change to enhance wealth creation
PRESIDENT Dr. Irfaan Ali has urged Guyanese to adopt a fundamental change in mindset as the country enters a new phase of economic transformation, cautioning that productivity must not be lost.
In his remarks during a recent engagement with local journalists and students, the President said that higher wages and salaries have, in some cases, led to a reduction in productive time, weakening the country’s overall capacity to work and earn.
He pointed to examples such as truck drivers who previously worked six days a week, but now earn the same income in just two days, and choose to work fewer hours.
According to President Ali, this approach contributes to what is often described as “Dutch disease”, not primarily through government action, but through attitudes that distort the true meaning of work, effort and productivity.
“In this phase of development, it is important that we develop a mindset of maximising our ability to earn, maximising the productive time that is available before us. And that is part of the agenda in the next five years.
“How do we create this new mindset? Wealth creation is not accidental. Wealth creation is planned. It is planned at a national level through policies and programmes, but it is felt at a community level,” he said, explaining further that a cultural shift will form a key part of the government’s agenda over the next five years.
“How do we create the mindset? And when we talk about wealth creation also and the opportunities we are building, we now have all of these expressions of interest for tourism facilities,” he added.
President Ali highlighted emerging opportunities in sectors such as tourism and agriculture as practical examples of how communities can benefit from this approach.
He said interest in tourism investments, including on islands such as Leguan (in Region Two), could create new markets for local farmers and households, allowing them to generate income through the supply of fruits and vegetables and other goods.
Further, he pointed to the expansion of off-grid energy systems in hinterland, riverine and island communities, which, he said, will reduce electricity costs even before the completion of the gas-to-energy project.
Lower electricity rates, the President explained, could increase disposable income, encourage saving and enable households to purchase higher-value goods and services.
“When your electricity rate is reduced by 50 per cent, that savings goes towards improving your disposable income, increasing your propensity to save, and in some cases buying higher-value goods and services,” he said.
He urged citizens to view these developments as part of a broader, interconnected strategy for national growth, cautioning against being distracted by what he described as unproductive narratives.
