Guyana is a nation in transition to becoming a ‘green’ state

Dec 31, 2017 APNU Column, Features / Columnists

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By H.E. David Granger
The Government of Guyana is at mid-term and, ever mindful of its duty to the people, will continue to aim at providing a good life for all in 2018.
The Nation’s economy has been prudently managed over the past 30 months. This has allowed for moderate economic growth of 3.1 per cent in 2015 and 3.3 per cent in 2016, despite the unfavourable external environment.
The Government adopted measures to improve the living standards of workers. Public servants’ minimum wage increased by over 50 per cent within the past 26 months.
The income-tax rate was reduced and the income tax threshold increased by a minimum of 20 per cent – measures which boosted worker’s disposable income.
The Government will continue to support all sectors of the economy, particularly the sugar industry. It provided G$31B in financial support to the Guyana Sugar Corporation in order to protect workers’ livelihood and to arrest the financial haemorrhaging of the industry.
The sugar industry is being consolidated; it is not being closed. The Government will explore every option to ensure a viable industry, mindful of its impact on the rural economy and population.
The Government has been working to improve national economic competitiveness. National competitiveness has been enhanced by the reduction of the corporation tax rate for manufacturing and non-commercial companies from 30 per cent to 27.5 per cent.
The Value-Added Tax was reduced to 14 per cent and the VAT threshold increased from $10M to $15M.
The Government is rebalancing the economy through its support of the micro-, small- and medium-scale enterprise sector, mindful of the small and micro enterprises’ potential to generate employment.
Loans and grants have been issued under the Hinterland Employment Youth Scheme, the Linden Enterprise Network, the Micro- and Small-Enterprise Development, the Sustainable Livelihoods and Entrepreneurial Development, the Women of Worth initiative and the People of Worth Entrepreneurial Resources initiative.
The Government continued to build its institutional capacity and the adoption of an appropriate legislative and regulatory framework for the sustainable management of the nation’s natural resource sector, including the emergent petroleum sector.
The Government has been strengthening the regulatory framework of the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) sector, digitizing education and establishing ICT hubs.
Greater impetus to the liberalisation and regulation of telecommunications will be provided through the enactment of the appropriate telecommunications legislation. The establishment of 53 ICT community hubs across the country will accelerate the extension of ICT-related services.
The Government is improving the country’s transportation network of aerodromes, bridges, roads, stellings and wharves. The four-lane extension of the East Bank Demerara Public Road has been completed. Village roads of over 100 km have been constructed or repaired. More than 30 hinterland aerodromes have been rehabilitated and maintained.
The Government has restored the people’s participation in local decision-making. Local government elections were reinstated. The establishment of three new towns – Bartica, Lethem, Mabaruma – solidified our system of local democracy.
Plans of Action for Regional Development are being developed for each region. Regional Agricultural and Commercial Expositions are catalyzing agriculture and agro-processing.
The Government expanded the provision of water to unserved communities and improved the quality of service. The commencement of the Water Supply and Sanitation Improvement programme will benefit more than 50,000 consumers.
The Government, over the past 30 months, has aimed its efforts at reaching a peaceful resolution to the territorial controversy through its engagement in a renewed ‘Good Offices’ process. Its efforts are expected to eventuate in a juridical settlement of the territorial controversy.
The Government has strengthened the financial regulatory framework in order to insulate our economy from proceeds of illicit activities. The promulgation of Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism legislation will provide greater safeguards and stronger enforcement to ensure the integrity of the financial system.
The Government has re-established and made appointments to institutions required by the Constitution. The appointments of the Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission and an Ombudsman; the establishment of a Public Procurement Commission and re-establishment of the Public Service Appellate Tribunal manifest the Government’s commitment to abide with the Constitution.
The Government is committed to improve the conditions in the public education system under which teachers study, work and live and students have to attend school. Improvement in educational attainment requires investment in teachers’ training.
Over 1000 teachers have been trained over the past two years. The number of trained teachers, in our schools, has increased over the past 2 years and now stands at 77 per cent.
The Government, in pursuit of the common good, continued to pursue the vision of a Guyana in which “diversities are embraced”, differences respected and “conflicts resolved”. It has developed a national strategic plan to foster greater social harmony.
The Government has improved the reach, quality and administration of passport, immigration, birth, marriage and death registration services. It has reduced the processing times for the issuance of passports and the service is being decentralized to the six capital towns.
The Government continues to support the indigenous in 215 indigenous communities. These communities have benefitted from a range of community-support initiatives, including Presidential grants, the distribution of school uniforms, the construction of community centres and the provision of all-terrain vehicles, boats and outboard engines.
The Government embarked on a process of reform and is revamping the national security architecture. The Government, with the assistance of the United Kingdom, will establish a Department of Security Sector Reform. The security forces are gradually recovering from the demoralisation caused during the ‘Troubles’ of the early years of this century.
The Government promulgated a National Drug Strategy Master Plan and established a National Anti-Narcotics Agency and a National Intelligence and Security Agency and re-established the National Security Committee.
Guyana is a nation in transition to becoming a ‘green’ state. The Government established the Department of the Environment to coordinate and regulate the national effort in this thrust.
The Government will continue to place emphasis on the preservation of our biodiversity and the protection of the environment. The protected area system will be expanded by an additional 2 million hectares. Government buildings, increasingly, are going to be powered by alternative sources of energy, as part of our ‘green’ agenda.

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