President reflects on 3 years in Office; says more could have been accomplished
President Donald Ramotar.
[www.inewsguyana.com] – This month, President Donald Ramotar observes three years in office, after being sworn in on December 05, 2011, following the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPPC) minority win at the General Elections in that year.
Three years on, the Head of State said he would describe those three years as ‘mixed’, due in part to a very difficult political situation, locally and a complicated and not so favourable international situation.
The fact however, that Guyana’s economy continued to grow and its social services expanded, are considered monumental given the overall circumstances they were achieved in, President Ramotar told the Government Information Agency (GINA).
Looking back some 20 years from the present, the Head of State said that historians may see his first three years from a better perspective, particularly in light of the challenges faced. While he is happy with what has been achieved, it has also been very wearisome since he feels that the nation could have progressed much further had there been more cooperation on the political front.
“I am proud of that, our team, what we were able to do, but I must admit that it was very frustrating, because we could have gone much further than we have, if we had a better local political situation…”
The failure to start construction of the Amalia Falls Hydro Power project is a major regret for the president, “because that project is one that every single Guyanese would benefit from, whether they get electricity from the grid or not”.
He stressed that it is a project that will transform the country, and accelerate its growth and development. Cheap electricity is vital to propel Guyana towards the stage of being a developed country, he added, as he described the voting against the project by both Parliamentary Opposition political parties as “vindictive”.
“…the fact that the Opposition voted against it for no other reason -I don’t know what else to say but being vindictive, why I say that is that both the opposition parties have in their manifesto that they were in support of hydro (power) and here we had a fantastic deal and they scuttled it, I would say they delayed it,… I’m still determined that Amaila Falls (project) will come on stream.”
The need for other infrastructural projects such as an expanded Cheddi Jagan International Airport, the paved road link to Lethem via Linden and a deep water harbour were highlighted by the president as necessary for Guyana’s development.
The main goal however, is the development of human capital to ensure that an educated workforce was prepared to take advantage of the many jobs that will be available with advancing economic development.
Economic growth is tied to education levels and history has proven this, he added.
Chief, in all seriousness, we're here to agree to disagree respectfully. The low life thing don't bother me the least. I have a lot of tolerance for people these days. If I don't understand GNI, I don't belong here. 
