Guyana is on the move!

[youtube url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R_SuFMwGRzs” width=”100%” height=”315″]

─ Pres. Granger talks successes and challenges

─ Coalition Govt remains committed to Guyana’s development

By Nateshia Isaacs

DPI, Guyana, Wednesday, May 22, 2019

Guyana has been and will continue on an upward trajectory because of the Coalition Government’s commitment to ensuring a good life for all Guyanese.

This was among the sentiments echoed by President David Granger today as he highlighted both successes and challenges faced in governance. The conversation comes on the heels of the 4th anniversary of the APNU+AFC’s term in office, marked on May 11.

President Granger cited some of his administration’s successes and reiterated the government’s commitment to the furtherance of development in coastal and hinterland communities.

According to President Granger, one of the major successes was the holding of two Local Government Elections (LGE) in three years. This demonstrates the government’s interest in upholding the constitution and allowing citizens to have higher levels of active participation in governance.

“We created four new towns, we are committed to democratic governance, we have tried to improve the infrastructure in many of the rural areas and also some riverain communities,” he stated.

The president also highlighted the massive success of what is known as the ‘5 B’s’ Programme, which has improved students’ access to schools and lowered the rate of school dropouts. The 5 B’s initiative is geared at providing essential services for sustainable student attendance and improved performance. It provides boats, bicycles, buses, books and breakfast (school feeding programme) free of cost for students across Guyana.

“There have obviously been challenges, I would not pretend… we have inherited some difficult situations,” President Granger remarked.

He further cited the failing sugar industry which has been a sore spot for years. Referring to the downsizing of sugar estate workers from 20,000 to 15,000 during the term of the previous administration; a cut of 5,000 workers, the Head of State said:

“The sugar industry was already in a state of decline as you know. The previous administration shut down Diamond [estate]. They were [merging] other estates; so, the previous administration knew that the industry was in decline, that is one of the biggest challenges we faced.”

While completing a full term in office is desirous of President Granger, obeying the rule of law and respecting GECOM’s decision is paramount to his administration.

“We would like to complete our term depending on what GECOM tells us, and deliver to the Guyanese that good life that we promised them,” he noted.

Looking ahead, President Granger said he is prepared to yet again be on the campaign trail. Asked whether he will be on the ground campaigning, the president gave a resounding “YES!”.

Prior to his illness, he was campaigning for the Local Government Elections.

“I was on the campaign trail in October last year… I’d actually campaigned in Rose Hall, Corriverton, Anna Regina, Lethem and in Mahdia. So, I was very active until it became impossible to go on. I am no stranger to campaigning.”

On February 1, the APNU+AFC Government established a campaign committee of which President Granger is the campaign director.

Over these past four years, the policies and programmes of the Coalition Government have favourably impacted every aspect of life in Guyana, from the coastland to the hinterland, and in our riverain and Indigenous communities.

The government confidently believes that there are good reasons for all Guyanese, here and in the diaspora, to celebrate the achievements over the past four years and that all Guyanese have good reasons to remember May 11 as the day when the APNU+AFC administration started the journey to build a new Guyana.

Image: Keno George.

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