A new wave of development

In his New Year’s Message to the nation, President Bharrat Jagdeo said that a new wave of development has begun to sweep Guyana. He expressed confidence that, “over the next decade, we can create a new Guyana with high quality infrastructure, and catalyse new economic sectors while providing global leadership.”

On the international scene, President Jagdeo said that Guyanese are no longer passive followers in big global issues. “Nowhere is this more obvious than in the leadership on climate change. Guyana is leading changes to the global multilateral institutions, where far larger countries are looking to us to create globally relevant solutions. We now hold the presidency of the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR),” said Mr. Jagdeo. 

Among the many initiatives the president referred to that will see Guyana moving forward are the fibre-optic cable currently being laid from the border with Brazil, and other investments being made by telecommunication firms. He said that these initiatives will indeed provide “world class digital connectivity to the opportunities of the global economy.” 

The authorities have stated that, within the next few weeks, government will purchase some 30,000 laptops to allow citizens, including the poor, to become part of the digital age. This is the first instalment of a two-year programme to distribute 90,000 computers across the country. It is expected that persons will also be provided with the relevant training with respect to the use of the systems. 

The president is of the view that our citizens can justifiably feel proud of the progress achieved in 2010, and he cited housing as one area which could be considered a success story. “Vast new communities have emerged in recent years, allowing tens of thousands of Guyanese the dignity of becoming homeowners. Areas like Diamond/Grove have been transformed from small rural villages to rapidly growing semi-urban residential and commercial centres; and the resultant economic and commercial activity has contributed in no small part to our vibrant economy”, the president stated.

President Jagdeo added that the fiscal deficit has been reduced to sustainable levels, private sector credit has expanded, and real gross domestic product has increased over the past five years, despite the dramatic challenges presented by the global financial and economic crises and the effects of the cuts to the European price for Guyana’s sugar. 

During this year, the president said, the government will continue to expand the range of economic activities, so that more jobs can be created and all citizens can enjoy a higher standard of living while forging a united, free and harmonious society. Creating jobs is very necessary, since many of our graduates have been leaving for greener pastures over the years. The authorities need to examine ways in which they can work, along with the private sector and other stakeholders, to reverse this high level of migration amongst our graduates and other skilled professionals. Our young people must have enough reasons to want to stay and help to develop their country.  

Similarly, it is time that more effective measures be put in place to woo the diaspora back to Guyana. There is a range of skills that Guyana needs existing among this group, and we should go after those skills in an aggressive manner. This is necessary considering that the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) is now being implemented. Over the years, Guyana has resorted to importing expatriates to work in our industries and other sectors, and most would know that hiring these expats comes with a high price. Thereafter, the money is repatriated, to our disadvantage. We should therefore encourage those who are willing and ready to return to serve and be part of this new wave of development that the president referred to.  

Further, while the president mentioned all the positives that have been happening in the country, and the projections seem good indeed, there were, indeed, some challenges, among them being a crime rate that, even though reduced, still needs to be arrested and brought under control. Our citizens must be able to feel safe whenever they are at home or on the streets. While the authorities cannot guarantee everyone’s safety, they should ensure that those tasked with serving and protecting our nation do exactly that. 

Notwithstanding the aforementioned, the future seems bright for Guyana, and 2011 seems to be the year that most of the major development projects will take off and catapult our country into the group of modern nations. However, every citizen has a role to play in this new wave of development that is taking place, and it is important that we remain positive and continue to work in whatever way we can with the authorities, to ensure that, as a country, we remain focused and committed to the challenges ahead.