Declaring that 2020 will be an “unforgettable year”, President David Granger has announced the launch of a decade of development accompanied by an assortment of pledges for improved living conditions premised on the fruition of the oil economy.
In the text of his address released by the Ministry of the Presidency and which was to be delivered at midnight last night, Granger said that today marks the dawn of the ‘Decade of Development: 2020-2029’; the start of the national observance of the 50th anniversary year of the Republic and the launch of campaigns for General and Regional Elections. Adding – “An eventful year lies ahead”.
Granger’s frequent reference in recent months to a decade of development has raised eyebrows as he is performing the functions of a caretaker President prior to the holding of General Elections on March 2nd this year.
Guyanese were told to expect a higher quality of life over the next five years as the government is looking beyond 2020 and laying plans for the future. According to the President, improvements in the lives of the citizens will come in the form of economic growth, which will accelerate as production increases and the major sectors become stronger and more resilient; education and healthcare, which will continue to improve; information communications technology, to link all regions and communities; more employment opportunities; citizens having larger disposable incomes and public servants’ emoluments continuing to grow to improve their standard of living.
The Head of State iterated that the principal objective of the state will always be to secure the ‘good life’ for all which entails “… providing every citizen with opportunities to be the best he or she can be; securing sustained economic prosperity; ensuring access to quality public services and promoting social cohesion.”
He said that the ‘good life’ involves eradicating extreme poverty and reducing class, racial and geographic inequalities. “The ultimate measure of the good life is happy communities, happy households and happy people.”
The President listed a number of key developments aimed at improving the quality of life by promoting over the next five years: improvements in education; economic growth; constitutional reform; good governance, social protection; human safety; development of the indigenous people; development of the energy sector; environmental protection and improved infrastructure. Adding “We can look forward to living in a country which enjoys high levels of growth and human development and with accountable government and greater equality. Constitutional reform will allow for the easier resolution of political differences.”
President Granger reminded that he declared December 20 ‘National Petroleum Day’ signifying that Guyana had become a petroleum-producing state. He said that the fiscal space created by the commencement of petroleum production will allow the intensification of the implementation rate of the aforementioned transformative processes. He also assured that the government intends to manage these petroleum revenues “prudently” for present and future generations in accordance with the objective of securing the ‘good life’ for all. “We shall do this through a Natural Resource Fund which, as it stands, meets 21 of the 24 Santiago Principles with the other three principles to be met once the legislation comes into force.”
The President added that the Decade of Development will accelerate the country’s four transformative processes – the ‘green state’, the ‘digital state’, the ‘petroleum state’ and an education nation.
The first involves the transition towards becoming a ‘green state’ that will emphasise the preservation and protection of the environment and the graduation towards greater value-added production.
The second process will be the development of a ‘digital state’ which will connect every region, neighbourhood, village, community and government agency, generate ICT services and make public services more accessible.
The third will be the emergence of an ‘education nation’, characterised by every child attending primary school, every child graduating from secondary school and the country having a more highly educated workforce.
And fourthly, the beginning of petroleum production which will result in faster economic growth, increased employment and economic opportunities and larger fiscal revenues.
According to the President’s vision of the future, “We can expect to live in a gentle, green and good country, during the Decade of Development as a result of these changes.” He stated that these results will include a growing economy, improved health and education systems, better and safer communities and modern infrastructure nationwide. Along with these improvements, the government, he says, intends to intensify its commitment to preventing pollution of the waterways, eliminating the importation of single-use plastics which contribute to clogging drainage systems, flooding and squalour, depleting aquatic life and contaminating creeks, rivers, freshwater and marine waters. This will be pursued along with combating the adverse impact of climate change and rising sea levels caused by global warming, which erodes the country’s natural sea defence structures and protecting the mangrove forests which help to secure the shoreline and river banks from erosion as well as strengthening forestry and mining laws to make re-forestation and land reclamations conditional for the approval of mining and logging concessions.
President Granger emphasised that “Citizenship of this good country must mean, by 2030, living in a modern state where everyone could enjoy equality before the law, education that is free, employment that is satisfying and an environment that is safe and healthy. The launch of the ‘Decade’ today brings the realisation of the ‘good life’ closer.” He added that “It is fitting that, as we witness these transformative changes, we will celebrate the 50th anniversary of becoming a Republic on the 23rd February 2020. This is an occasion of national pride, deserving a grand celebration of the actualisation of our sovereignty.”
The Republic’s jubilee, the President opined, “… occurs at an auspicious and propitious time. We are about to leap above the barriers which previously constrained us in the pursuit of the ‘good life’.” He urged Guyanese to join in the celebration being planned to mark the occasion.
Granger also noted the holding of General and Regional Elections which will be held this year and said that the proclamations dissolving parliament on 30th December 2019 and designating 2nd March 2020 as Election Day have been already signed. He reminded Guyanese of the opportunity the elections provide to elect representatives to the National Assembly and Regional Democratic Councils, noting that “… the free exercise of our franchise will determine who we choose to manage the affairs of state over the next five years.”
General and Regional Elections, the President said, will provide the opportunity for the election of leaders to govern the country during an era of high-levels of economic growth and human development.
“Political parties will be mobilised fully; the population will turn out in large numbers; the Elections Commission will deliver free, fair and credible elections and the security forces will ensure an environment of public order and stability before, during and after the elections.”
Granger’s government having lost a motion of no-confidence in Parliament on December 21 last year, general elections should have been held in three months. This did not occur as the administration moved to the courts challenging the validity of the no confidence motion before losing finally at the Caribbean Court of Justice.
In touching on the border controversy between the Guyana and Venezuela, Granger said that it was his expectation that the matter would be resolved peacefully by the International Court of Justice. This course of action, he added, is in accordance with Guyana’s view that a judicial settlement is the best means of achieving a final and definitive settlement of the long-standing controversy by reasserting that the 1899 Arbitral Award is valid and binding upon Guyana and Venezuela.
