Cost-of-living interventions will be made to cushion any spikes in prices, President Irfaan Ali said in his New Year’s address as he also promised a “robust” programme to end the carnage on the roads and free university education beginning in 2025.
In the traditional midnight address, Ali adverted to the impending budget and said it covers key areas including enhanced defence spending.
He said that this year will also see significant investment in education, including preparations for the roll-out of free university education in 2025.
“The capacity and capabilities of our Defence Force will be strengthened to allow for improvements in the defence of our sovereignty and our territorial integrity”, he said. Last year saw the most concerted threat by Venezuela against Guyana for decades.
The President said that the carnage on the roads will be greeted with a robust safety and traffic management plan. Dozens of pedestrians and others continue to perish in accidents.
“I intend to have a national conversation on this issue within the coming days, out of that conversation, new laws, regulations and technology will be implemented to stop the carnage on our roads”, the President said.
Cost-of-living interventions, he said, will be made to cushion any spikes in prices in the economy.
“We want to put more money into the pockets of people. Our policy making matrix will address this ideal and the idea of putting more money in the pockets of our people.
“Workers will continue to benefit from increases in their wages and salaries, augmenting the other measures, which we will take to enhance household disposable incomes”, the President said in his address.
Work will also begin on the construction of a new international–branded hotel near the Georgetown Seawall. The President recently said that a company out of Qatar has expressed interest in building a boardwalk along the seawall area, north of Carifesta Avenue and is also to build a hotel in the vicinity sometime next year.
“We’ll see the Urban Renewal Plan which involves building of the massive hotel, conference and entertainment facility along Carifesta, commencing next year. These are investments from a Qatari Group. A massive facility that will commence next year,” Ali told the Private Sector Commission’s 31st anniversary dinner.
“That will open up opportunity along the Carifesta Highway and bringing into realization, the plan of a modern boardwalk along the seawall, outside of Carifesta,” he added.
In his midnight address, the President said that Guyana’s energy security plans will be advanced through the ongoing works for a gas-to-shore energy plant that will reduce energy costs. The hinterland electrification programme will be expanded to bring electricity to more hinterland residents, he said.
The President asserted that investments in culture and sport infrastructure will see improvements in sports grounds, playfields and cultural facilities.
“We will also be addressing in a very frontal way, the issues of mental health, suicide; advancing measures to increase disposable income; supporting the building of consortiums to further enable our people to benefit from the opportunities here; manufacturing and industrial development expansion, supporting through incentivizing investment in manufacturing and industrial development; more community investment aimed at creating community safe spaces, community security, community livelihood, community empowerment”, the President said.
He added that there will be a robust plan to advance the security architecture.
“Direct policies and policy orientation towards tourism initiatives and expanding our tourism product, and comprehensive policy to address squatting, especially on the Linden-Soesdyke Highway” are also on the agenda, he said.
Ripen
“My government pledged to improve the lives of our people. We are honouring that promise. The fruits of our collective efforts are beginning to ripen. The future of Guyana is bright and promising. We have set Guyana on a course of sustained growth and prosperity. The New Year – 2024, will see us advance more rapidly along this path as we shape the destiny of present and future generations”, Ali declared.
He said that he expected that in 2024 sugar production will be increased, “as we continue to invest in the sector’s contribution to rural employment and the rural economy”.
He lauded the work of government officials. “… I want to pause and recognise the tremendous work of the cabinet, the government, and all those technicians who are supporting the multitude of projects and investments that are geared at the transformation of our country. I thank your families that allow you the extended time in national service”, he said.
Earlier in his address, he recapped what had happened in 2023 and thanked the opposition for its support on the border crisis.
“The past year, tested our collective determination as a nation. It brought trials, threats and triumphs, development, and instances of despair.
“We mourned the loss of our precious angels at Mahdia and the tragic deaths of our heroic servicemen in a helicopter crash. In these moments of anguish, our people united, sharing grief and providing moral and material support to those who have lost loved ones. These tragedies were indeed jolting, but they did not floor us. We did not wilt or waver. We proved that we are a resilient nation. We rose to the challenge, surmounting our difficulties and collectively shouldered our burdens. Every time misfortune hit us, we stood tall and unified”, the President said.
He noted that the past year also witnessed a threat to the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
“I am heartened by the unity displayed by our people in defending our Motherland and unequivocally rejecting any unfounded claims to our territory. Our commitment to peace and the resolution of disputes through peaceful means, and in accordance with international law, remains unwavering.
“I extend my thanks to the Opposition for standing in solidarity with the government on this crucial and critical issue. I thank all Guyanese for the massive outpouring of patriotic fervour in response to the threats we faced. Together, we presented a unified front against threats to our territory, reinforcing our collective determination to protect the sovereignty of our beloved Guyana”, Ali said.
He declared that the economy remains on a rock-solid footing, registering in 2023 phenomenal economic growth that is estimated at almost 40%.
“Our national transformative development agenda is not merely a plan on paper; it is being actively rolled out, and our citizens are witnessing the breath of transformation that accompanies these investments. As a consequence, development is sweeping across our country like a breath of fresh air”, he said.
He stated that the Government has increased the salary base of all public servants by more than 21.5% since 2020; resolved anomalies in the salary of more than 5,000 health workers and 9,000 members of the disciplined services and instituted a series of measures for teachers.
“We have also increased the tax threshold from $65,000 to $85,000; increased old age pension by 60%, public assistance by 75%; distributed more than $7 billion in flood relief cash grant; restored the cash grant for school aged children and increasing it to $35,000 per child with a $5,000 uniform cash grant, taking it to $40,000 per child, and making it available to private school children; distributed a $250,000 one off cash grant that benefitted almost 5,500 severed sugar workers; introduced the dialysis programme, making $600,000 per annum available to dialysis patients; invested more than $7.7 billion to support household income through the COVID-19 cash relief programme; removed the VAT on water and electricity; reduced the tax on fuel to 0%, costing an estimated value of $17 billion”, the President said.
Ali contended that Guyana continues to provide regional and global leadership, particularly in the crucial areas of food, energy, and climate security.
“Our commitment to these critical issues reflects our understanding of the interconnectedness between global, local and regional challenges and the need for collective action. By leading in these areas, we not only contribute to our well-being but also to making the world a better place”, he stated.
