Come home and invest – President Ali urges Guyanese in Canada
President Irfaan Ali.
Kaieteur News – President Irfaan Ali has urged Guyanese living in Canada to return home for investment as he notes his Government’s commitment to ensuring an enabling environment for economic prosperity.
The Head of State made this appeal almost on Sunday during the feature speech at the Guyanese Republic Jubilee Awards Ceremony and Presentation organized by the Guyana Consulate in Canada.
“I want to tell the diaspora, stop doubting yourself. Many of you call me directly and say I want to come and do this but what if…, what if? Don’t doubt yourself. In investment there is an element of risk, in business there is an element of risk. When moving from one state to another there is an element of risk, when moving from one country to another there is an element of risk, ”President Ali explained in a statement from his office.
He accepted that there are areas in which the Government needs to improve in order to create a conducive atmosphere for growth and development.
“We recognize the areas where we need to improve to make you comfortable in an environment you are familiar with, how quickly you get a service; quality of service. We do not hide from these things. These are things we need to fix and we are repairing them. “
The President further encouraged the Guyanese from abroad to be bold and innovative in their efforts and promised that they would be welcomed. “We’re in this together. We want you to come. We are waiting on arrival. We know you’re committed, we know you have a love of country, take the bold step. ”
ECONOMIC MODERNIZATION AND INFRASTRUCTURAL TRANSFER
In the meantime, the Head of State also spoke about his Government’s economic modernization and infrastructure transformation plans.
“Our Republic is on an upward trajectory. We are building a more modern, diverse and resilient economy, ”he said, adding that while Guyana is now an oil-producing state, the country is still looking to diversify.
“The traditional sectors – rice, sugar, forestry, bauxite and gold mining are important for wealth creation, employment generation and income distribution.”
In this respect, the President stated that his Government intends to modernize and grow the above sectors and is particularly committed to “revitalizing” the sugar industry by moving production up the value chain and by diversifying the industry.
A modern economy needs a transformational infrastructure, says President Ali, which can rebound from internal and external shocks. He drew attention to the development plans in progress, including: the completion of the East Coast Demerara Highway; resurfacing of the East Coast Railway Dyke from Sheriff Street to Enmore; remodeling the Linden to Lethem Highway and working on the Linden to Mabura Hill stretch. The President also highlighted the construction of a road link between Ogle and Diamond, the development of a four-lane highway between Georgetown and Timehri, a road link between Parika and Rockstone and a new high span bridge across the Demerara River, which estimates will be completed before the end. 2024.
“We are working with the Suriname Republic to bridge the Corentyne River and create a corridor that will link Guiana and French Suriname with Eastern Guyana and from there to the south with Brazil and other continental states.”
The Head of State added that a deep water habour, a new international airport at Lethem, industrial parks and free trade zones will integrate Guyana’s economy with more powerful markets and turn the country into a major economic hub in the Western Hemisphere.
In addition, a mix of energy projects including solar, wind and natural gas will also help secure energy security and reduce the cost of energy by 50 percent, which is expected to stimulate and boost the competitiveness of Guyana’s manufacturing sector.
President Ali also explained that the “transit and transportation restructuring” is an upgrade of the maritime transit, which will see investments in new boats and ferries to the North West, and along the Essequibo and Berbice rivers. .
Air Transport is also vital to the transportation plan. The President noted that his Government had “renegotiated and we were able to get two additional bridges back for our airport, more commercial space, and have the contractor agree to complete a full restoration of the airport frontage, all without any cost to government ”.
He said the government had launched an aggressive marketing campaign to encourage air lifts to Guyana, with the aim of presenting the country as an air transport hub for South America.
“We have tremendous traction. Unfortunately with all the work we’ve been doing we haven’t been able to break into the Canadian market, but rest assured, I’m confident we’ll have some very good news in the very near future for the Canadian and Canadian market in terms of air transport to Guyana. ”
QUALITY OF LIFE AND SOCIAL SERVICES
President Ali used the opportunity to remind the diaspora of the planned housing program that aims to deliver 50,000 housing lots within the next five years, with more than 3,000 already distributed in the past week .
There are also plans to improve education provision by increasing its access and expanding information technology initiatives. “We are creating the 21st century education system. The One Laptop for Every Family Initiative will be reintroduced in the coming year. We provide 20,000 scholarships. We hope to provide free education at the University of Guyana by the end of 2024. In our Crisis Budget for 2020, we made provisions for doubling the uniform allowance and increasing, by 50%, the cash grant per student from $ 10,000 to $ 15,000. We are committed to increasing this by almost 300 per cent in the coming years. ”
He also reminded his audience of the Government’s plans to promote the country’s health system with a strong focus on primary health care and intensive support for the vulnerable including the elderly, children, women and people with disabilities.
“Guyana will roar again. Our Republic will become stronger and more resilient. I want to thank all of you for your interest in developments at home. I want to encourage you to play your part in the transformational process that is taking place. Guyana needs everything practical, including Diaspora members who have the skills and resources needed to fulfill our ambitions over the next 10 years. “