LCDS is the ticket to a brighter future - Jagdeo
Written by Kwesi Isles
Thursday, 29 September 2011 20:53
Source
President Bharrat Jagdeo is pitting his government’s Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) against the economic plans of the other parties contesting the upcoming general election saying it is better than the models being followed in developed nations.
“This is how we will leapfrog over the unsustainable high carbon development trajectories that today’s developed world follows and this is how we’ll prove to the world that the low carbon development path is the more valuable development path,” he told attendees at the official opening of GuyExpo 2011 Thursday evening.
Jagdeo said it is now up to the people to make their choice at the polls which are constitutionally due by December 28.
“I hope in the upcoming electoral processes there are informed debates about this and the alternative visions political parties have for the future; a vigourous debate on the future of private sector development of Guyana is to be welcomed. Democracy at its core is about a peaceful, creative discussion of ideas,” the president added.
Jagdeo spent the first part of his presentation outlining the achievements of his administration touching on popular high points like the Berbice River Bridge, the national stadium, a booming housing industry and macroeconomic milestones before moving on to what Guyanese can expect in the near future and under another PPP administration.
“Construction will start at the Amaila Hydroelectric Plant within the next six months and four years later businesses and citizens will get cheaper electricity. Our economy would have benefitted from the largest single foreign direct investment in our history. We would have reduced our need to use foreign currency to buy oil and we would have eliminated 92 percent of our country’s energy related greenhouse gas emissions,” Jagdeo stated.
He added that the first of 11,000 households are to receive solar panels for electricity generation with the first batch en route to Guyana. The government’s fibre optic cable, he said, will be operational before the year is out along with a spur from Trinidad and Tobago.
The president also highlighted the One Laptop Per Family initiative which aims to put 90,000 netbooks into the hands of poor families and stated that home ownership will be expanded.
Other projects mentioned included the completion of the Linden to Lethem road upgrade, a world class terminal at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, a four-lane highway linking the airport to the city and a start of the deepwater harbour project.
Work has commenced on all of those projects, Jagdeo said, while adding that the vision is built on the LCDS and the National Development and National Competitiveness Strategies.
In a brief address earlier, Chairman of the Private Sector Commission Ramesh Dookhoo said he was heartened by the focus on local products this year.
“This is a step in the right direction; we have quite enough of our own excellent products to showcase, advertise and promote,” he stated.
Surinamese Vice President Robert Amerally also presented greetings from his government and expressed thanks for a contingent of his countrymen being allowed to participate at the expo.
GuyExpo will be open to the public from Friday afternoon and is scheduled to run until Sunday night.
Written by Kwesi Isles
Thursday, 29 September 2011 20:53
Source
President Bharrat Jagdeo is pitting his government’s Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) against the economic plans of the other parties contesting the upcoming general election saying it is better than the models being followed in developed nations.“This is how we will leapfrog over the unsustainable high carbon development trajectories that today’s developed world follows and this is how we’ll prove to the world that the low carbon development path is the more valuable development path,” he told attendees at the official opening of GuyExpo 2011 Thursday evening.
Jagdeo said it is now up to the people to make their choice at the polls which are constitutionally due by December 28.
“I hope in the upcoming electoral processes there are informed debates about this and the alternative visions political parties have for the future; a vigourous debate on the future of private sector development of Guyana is to be welcomed. Democracy at its core is about a peaceful, creative discussion of ideas,” the president added.
Jagdeo spent the first part of his presentation outlining the achievements of his administration touching on popular high points like the Berbice River Bridge, the national stadium, a booming housing industry and macroeconomic milestones before moving on to what Guyanese can expect in the near future and under another PPP administration.
“Construction will start at the Amaila Hydroelectric Plant within the next six months and four years later businesses and citizens will get cheaper electricity. Our economy would have benefitted from the largest single foreign direct investment in our history. We would have reduced our need to use foreign currency to buy oil and we would have eliminated 92 percent of our country’s energy related greenhouse gas emissions,” Jagdeo stated.
He added that the first of 11,000 households are to receive solar panels for electricity generation with the first batch en route to Guyana. The government’s fibre optic cable, he said, will be operational before the year is out along with a spur from Trinidad and Tobago.
The president also highlighted the One Laptop Per Family initiative which aims to put 90,000 netbooks into the hands of poor families and stated that home ownership will be expanded.
Other projects mentioned included the completion of the Linden to Lethem road upgrade, a world class terminal at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, a four-lane highway linking the airport to the city and a start of the deepwater harbour project.
Work has commenced on all of those projects, Jagdeo said, while adding that the vision is built on the LCDS and the National Development and National Competitiveness Strategies.
In a brief address earlier, Chairman of the Private Sector Commission Ramesh Dookhoo said he was heartened by the focus on local products this year.
“This is a step in the right direction; we have quite enough of our own excellent products to showcase, advertise and promote,” he stated.
Surinamese Vice President Robert Amerally also presented greetings from his government and expressed thanks for a contingent of his countrymen being allowed to participate at the expo.
GuyExpo will be open to the public from Friday afternoon and is scheduled to run until Sunday night.