Statement of His Excellency Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali, President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana
–Press Conference, April 28, 2021
Ladies and Gentlemen of the media, it is my pleasure to welcome you all at this Press Conference and to speak to the Nation. We have been in office for nine months. We took office on the verge of a threatened dictatorship, chaotic mismanagement and near economic collapse.
We have been very busy repairing the damage and restoring our country to economic sanity and progress. We have continued with the APNU+AFC Opposition that refuses to accept the results of a democratic elections, refuses to recognise the elected Government and refuses to sit down and work with that Government for the progress of our country.
I particularly welcome therefore the decision of Chief Justice Roxanne George, in dismissing an election petition filed by that Opposition which spuriously sought to challenge the constitutional and legal results of the General and Regional elections held on the 2nd of March last year – which elected the People’s Progressive Party to Government, and which was recognised without exception internationally.
The decision of the Court is a testimony both to the independence of our Judiciary and the enduring strength of our democracy and especially in the manner and efficiency in which the Court conducted these hearings.
Even more importantly, the decision arrived at by the Court is further evidence of the fact that as a people and a country, whatever our party-political differences may be, these differences are settled peacefully and within the rule of law under which we are all constitutionally governed.
So let me take this opportunity to recommit my administration to continuing to uphold and defend the separation of powers between the Legislature, the Executive and the Judiciary – which is so vital to the functioning of our democracy.
I look forward to our Court’s continuing to recognise the efficacy of the last elections in addressing any future challenges on this matter.
Today, I address you in the midst of challenging times for us in Guyana and globally. Time does not permit me to address you on every and all aspects of my Government’s performance since taking office, and of course, you will have the opportunity to raise your questions.
Let me begin by emphasising the fact that the Covid-19 pandemic is far from an end. Several mutations of the virus constantly challenge the response. Science has concluded that vaccination is the only way out.
My Government has launched an exceptionally aggressive vaccination program to achieve herd immunity in the shortest possible time frame. It has not been easy. As you are aware, sourcing the vaccines is a global challenge, and we have met it head-on. We have made every resource available to get us all vaccinated.
To date, our comprehensive response to covid has cost us as a nation billions of dollars.
While the Government is taking every step to have everyone vaccinated, it is the responsibility of every citizen, though not mandatory, to understand the importance of vaccination. These vaccines come with a shelf life, cost for storage and transportation, which are enormous and will not forever be available.
To get back to normalcy, the introduction of a mass vaccination passport is being contemplated by many countries. In fact, we have already seen countries lower entry requirements for vaccinated persons. We here in Guyana will soon have to consider this option.
Regardless of whether you have been vaccinated or not, we must all follow the Covid 19 guidelines. We had hoped that common sense would have prevailed in following the established guidelines but unfortunately it hasn’t. The enforcement, therefore, of these guidelines will be further strengthened and enhanced.
It is the determination of my Government to take care of the health of all of our people. The health sector as a whole is undergoing transformative change. Works are ongoing under the Smart Hospital Program at Leonora, Mabaruma, Lethem and Paramaktoi, while the Diamond hospital has been reopened. Under the India grant program, the contract has been awarded for the design of the West Demerara, Bartica and Suddie hospitals improvement project.
The maternity hospital in Lethem is scheduled to be completed in May 2021 while the Festival City Health Centre is scheduled to be completed in September. We have already earmarked the land for a state-of-the-art maternity and children hospital and discussions are ongoing with different funding agencies for its construction.
We are also receiving enormous interests for private investments in health care of which strong local content and involvement is evident.
To support this infrastructure, investment in human resources and strengthening of the system is of great priority. Work has commenced on the building of a National Patient Care Management Information System.
Food security and building our agricultural sector to be the food provider regionally is our priority. The intention of Government is to focus our investments in this sector, to be globally competitive.
We are already seeing results with positive growth in the rice sector through the development of 16 high-yielding rice varieties, increasing yield from 39 bags an acre to between 50-60 bags per acre in tested areas and by the establishment of the paddy bug action unit in Regions 2,3,4,5, and 6.
Our commitment to sugar has seen $7b allocated to GuySuCo. The corporation has completed a five-year strategic plan, rehired more than 1000 workers and an expression of interest for private participation in the industry, saw significant responses which are currently under evaluation.
The Government is also supporting farmers with maintenance works in drainage and irrigation. Our investment in other crops has returned substantial earnings.
In building our livestock industry, Government has invested and will continue to invest in high quality livestock for improved production and productivity. The fishing and aquaculture industry has seen remarkable expansion with over USD$30m in private investment for this year.
Our natural resources sector continues to improve. Exxon Mobil yesterday has for instance, announced the discovery of the Uaro-2 Well in the Stabroek Block, which will add to the gross discovered recoverable resource estimate, currently estimated to be approximately 9 Billion oil-equivalent barrels.
The FPSO “Unity” is scheduled to arrive in the second half of this year whilst Payara is expected to come online by 2024. By 2027, it is expected that three additional FPSOs will come on stream, taking production to one million barrels per day.
The local private sector is becoming more involved and aggressive in proactively preparing for these opportunities with expansion and construction of new shore and air base capacity and the building of our servicing capabilities.
Our local content provisions will ensure that, once the service is offered here competitively, it must be given priority to be utilised.
Our forestry sector is regaining momentum with projections estimated at 406,000 m3 with an export value at US$ 38.1M.
The expanded Low Carbon Development Strategy is the platform through which our development pathway will be embedded. This was recently reinforced at a Commonwealth Heads of Government Americas, roundtable discussion. This was hosted by HRH Prince Charles. The Roundtable discussed how to advance green recovery post covid, and initiatives to be taken for consideration at the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) later this year.
To advance our participation in the carbon market, we have signed a letter of intent with Emergent Finance Accelerated Inc., a US based non-profit organisation, to sell our carbon credit through credit contract. This Agreement has the potential of earning us hundreds of millions of US dollars annually.
Guyana has a huge quarry potential that has been greatly underdeveloped.
The extraordinary demand in the construction boom has required the importation of an estimated 40% percent of the demand at an approximate value of US$10m. We CAN produce this locally.
Our accelerated housing program, massive highways and community roads to be developed, will increase our demands three-fold over the next five years. In order to maximise local benefit thus creating jobs, and expanding local content, we are in the process of issuing new quarrying licenses in order to fully satisfy local demand.
To boost the mining sector, in addition to the budgetary allocation, GGMC will invest $2.7B to maintain approximately 1500km of hinterland roads, repair 40 culverts and build 20 long bridges.
I have tasked the Ministry of Public Works to complete a condition audit of all bridges along the Linden to Lethem road. The Ministry will further design and cost each bridge which will be built in concrete to international standards. These costs will be included in Government expenditure.
In the housing and construction sector, we are well on our way to achieving our promised 50,000 house-lots. We have already completed 4000 within our first nine months in office.
Our investment portfolio of 15 BILLION dollars in housing, has seen a drop in Low Incomeinterest rates; an increase in the loan ceiling from $12 million to $15 million and an increase in the mortgage relief threshold from $15M to $30M.
With the more than 676 commercial construction approvals, further opportunities for jobs and economic expansion will be created.
The budgeted $39B for roads under Public Works, excluding the four lane highways along the East Bank & East Coast corridors, has created opportunities for more local participation requiring for example 28,900 Truckloads of Sand and Loam and 600,000 tonnes of quarrying material.
This no doubt will add to the realisation of our 50,000 jobs promised. It is expected that by the end of this week, the 9 prequalified bidders for the new Demerara Harbour Bridge, will be invited to tender. We expect the bridge to be completed and delivered within 24 months from the commencement of its construction.
The Ministries of Public Works of Guyana and Suriname are currently in the process of procuring consultancy services for the feasibility and design of the Corentyne River Bridge.
My Government’s commitment to our first people is unreserved. We have recommenced the CSO program with more than 1900 Amerindian youth attached to Amerindian villages. In order to boost food production, we have invested close to a billion dollars in Hinterland agriculture development. We have invested close to 2 billion dollars in grants to village councils for income generating projects.
Our country’s commitment to the protection of our sovereignty and territorial integrity is paramount. We have welcomed the Judgment on Jurisdiction given by the International Court of Justice and we are diligently preparing to submit our case for the Court by the 8 March next year, as prescribed by the Court.
We are deeply appreciative of the virtually universal support received from the international community especially from the countries of the Caricom community and from the countries of the Organisation of American States.
We are horrified by the damage and the sufferings caused to our brothers and sisters of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, from the volcanic explosions and in collaboration with the private sector, we have sent three relief shipments.
We continue to work with our Caricom partners as the lead for agriculture in the Region in advancing the initiatives for food production and security.
Our Foreign Affairs Minster recently participated in the meeting with the US Secretary of State and Caricom, advocating for a new partnership addressing energy security.
Our country is developing at a massive rate and as I recently told the private sector, we have limited resources in managing both external and domestic threats to our country’s security.
We have recognised the fact that our law enforcement capacity is challenged by the sophisticated evolvement of criminal enterprise and my Government understand the responsibility of meeting the challenge to protect our people, their lives, and their property.
We cannot do this alone. The private sector must be our partners. We look to their collaboration in providing support and oversight at every level.
We are now, for example, establishing a management committee which involves the participation of civil society.
Last year, we invested some $15b in the security sector. We have looked at the stats and under the Ministry of Home Affairs, have designed and begun to implement a national plan to ensure that we, both, have the financial and human resources to comprehensively tackle crime.
Very importantly, we have restored, and we have strengthened our community policing groups which number just under 4000 members. We understand that rapid deployment is essential for rapid response and where there was significant neglect, we will be shortly providing 50 new patrol vehicles to enhance the mobility of the police force.
We also recognise that police stations across the country have been neglected for too long and since we have come into office, construction of new police stations is nearing completion at Lethem, Mahdia, Fort Wellington, Anna Regina, and Diamond.
We also recognise that for far too long our prison facilities and services have been grossly neglected and are now being addressed. The details of which have already been made public by the Minister of Home Affairs with regards to the Mazaruni, Lusignan and New Amsterdam Prisons.
I’m confident that our country is on the right path. The journey to prosperity has been accelerated and will only be realised with hard work, commitment and a collective embrace of Guyana’s future.