President Dr Irfaan Ali has reaffirmed his government’s commitment to leveraging the country’s oil windfall to drive development across all sectors of the economy and ensure that every citizen shares in the benefits.
He made the remarks today during a breakfast brief hosted by the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) under the theme “Power Guyana’s Future: Guyana’s Path to Sustainable Development”.
According to President Ali, it takes vision, planning and discipline to translate oil wealth into development – all qualities which the leaders in his government possess.
This vision, he further noted, is what drives efforts and guides action.
The President noted that the vision includes building a Guyana where every household has reliable electricity, there are modern highways connecting regions, there is a world-class and affordable healthcare system where “no mother has to choose between affordability and quality”, where prosperity is not a privilege of a few, where poverty is a thing of the past, and where distance in class does not deny opportunities.
In this regard, the Head of State emphasised that the oil and gas sector is important in achieving that vision.
In fact, President Ali pointed out that the country’s oil revenues are already funding schools, hospitals, roads and bridges – projects that “were once only dreams”.
The Guyanese leader, nevertheless, cautioned that “as we spend today, we must also save for tomorrow”.
He explained that while ‘oil opens doors’, Guyana cannot just be content with walking through those doors. “We must also build new ones,” he emphasised.
Moreover, he posited that in this development that is unfolding, no group of people or village must be left behind.
“Development is not real until it is inclusive,” the president asserted.
In this regard, he underscored the important role of the private sector in contributing to the country’s development.
President Ali stated that while it is the government that creates an enabling environment for businesses to thrive, they must in turn generate opportunities for their employees to be uplifted and the communities in which they operate to be transformed.
“[It’s] not just about counting profits,” he said, “it’s about multiplying possibilities”.
“Every contract signed, every dollar invested, every job created, must move us closer to our national vision. The private sector must be a partner in climate action, in community upliftment, in innovation, in nation building,” the president noted.
According to the Head of State, too often businesses are considered only as generators of jobs and maximisers of profits.
“Yes, that is important but in this new Guyana, businesses must see themselves as more than these. Businesses must see themselves as important social responsibility, as important entities in the story of transformation. They must see themselves as mini engines of sustainable development,” he said.
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