As Guyanese wake to another general election year, President Bharrat Jagdeo in his New Year message called on them to demonstrate their will by way of the polls on who they want to govern them and to do so in a mature manner.
“I am confident that, as was the case in 2006, that we will ensure elections that meet international standards, and which will exemplify our maturity as a member of the democratic fold of nations,” the President said.
“As we consolidate our democracy we must equally promote internal cohesion. Hate and prejudice should have no place in our body politic. Our people have lived well together and we have made greater strides under a democratic system.”
The head of state pledged that his government would continue to expand economic activities to create more jobs and specifically mentioned his US$30 million One Laptop Per Family initiative as a transformational tool.
“Within the next few weeks, we will begin the procurement of some 30,000 laptops to allow our citizens, including the poor, to become part of the digital age. This is just the first instalment of a two-year programme to distribute 90,000 such units thereby ensuring a computer in every home,” Jagdeo said.
According to the President, the country’s future will be determined by the way Guyanese utilise the advantages presented by the world around them.
“I believe that we now have a choice. We can restrict our vision to consolidating past gains and to build incrementally on them. Or we can set our sights high and deliver transformational progress without allowing our ambition to be constrained by those who see only problems,” Jagdeo declared.
He added that he believes a new Guyana can be created over the next decade with high-quality infrastructure and new economic sectors while providing global leadership. A Guyana where greater numbers of overseas-based Guyanese return home to contribute to national development and where the quality of education allows students to compete with the best graduates from anywhere in the world is part of what Jagdeo foresees.
“Within our reach is a society in which our private sector is defined by innovation and a relentless ability to make the most of new technologies. We can lead the world in solving climate change and the preservation of bio-diversity. We can shape a Guyana in which violence against our women and children becomes more widely acknowledged as immoral and unacceptable, thereby reducing the incidence of such abuses,” the President said.
According to President Jagdeo, the outlines of this new Guyana are taking shape with the Berbice Bridge, better housing, education and health being examples of the transformation from the last two decades with the next wave unfolding.
“The fibre optic cable currently being laid from the border with Brazil and other investments made by telecommunication firms will provide world class digital connectivity to the opportunities of the global economy. New economic sectors are growing rapidly, such as business process outsourcing which now provides many Guyanese with valuable new employment.”
On the international scene the President stated that Guyanese are no longer “passive followers in big global issues.
“Nowhere is this more obvious than in our leadership on climate change. We have the world’s second largest forest protection deal. Our prestige and standing within the global climate change debate, belies our country’s size, and historic marginalisation in global affairs.”
He added that Guyana was also leading changes to the global multilateral institutions with larger countries looking to it to create globally relevant solutions. This is in addition to also holding the Presidency of the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR).
Jagdeo said Guyana can justifiably feel proud of the progress achieved in 2010 and previous years evidenced by the transformation of communities and the local landscape.
“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. Even in our older urban centres, landscapes are being transformed with modern buildings, including shopping malls and amenities, previously unimaginable,” he said.
The transformation is visible across the society, he said, pointing to new warehouses in Lethem, the National Stadium, the International Convention Centre, the Caricom Headquarters, the Berbice Campus of the University of Guyana, and the soon to be commissioned Olympic–standard swimming pool at Liliendaal.
“All of this has been achieved against the background of an unswerving commitment to strengthening our domestic economy. For the first time in decades, our country is unshackled from unimaginable levels of indebtedness. Our external reserves are today at their highest level ever and three times what they were five years ago.”
