Poverty reduction

Jul 29, 2025 Editorial, News

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Kaieteur News – In this frenetic election season, everyone has suddenly found the prescription to end or tackle poverty in Guyana. The poor has always been among us with little or nothing done to alleviate their plight but now, political parties are chasing after votes, so the country is being told of plans to address this scourge.

On Sunday, President Irfaan Ali unveiled what was described by the Department of Public Information (DPI) as a “comprehensive national strategy aimed at tackling poverty by further reducing the cost of living and boosting economic productivity and social welfare through targeted investments in health, education, agriculture and infrastructure.” Strange enough, such an important initiative was launched via a Facebook live. Not before the press or an audience where people can question him and seek clarity on some of the measures he outlined. One must wonder if President Ali was merely talking on top of his head as he does most times, with no clear plan. Any real poverty reduction strategy must be informed by scientific data, but Ali on Sunday made no such reference. No study was cited, no survey conducted. Guyanese do not even know what is the actual size of the population because his administration has hidden the census report.

According to the DPI, the President said that the government recognises that addressing poverty must go beyond salaries and subsidies and that it must include systemic reform, driven by economic growth, a strengthened social safety net, and greater access to essential services. These all sound well, except that Mr. Ali’s party has been in government for 28 years and is the first to have their hands on the bounties from our oil wealth, but not much has been done to alleviate poverty. As usual during the so called, unveiling of the anti-poverty strategy, President Ali returned to the familiar script of political soundbites speaking about how his administration reversed more than 200 taxes and has not introduced any new or increased levies on the population.

Then according to the DPI, he outlined a series of areas his administration will expand on if given a second term. These include cutting electricity bills by 50 per cent and the reduction in the price of cooking gas as a result of the government’s gas-to-energy project. He said there are no planned increases in the cost of water services and healthcare costs, particularly for dialysis, MRIs, cancer treatment, and maternity care. He said too that job creation remains a top priority, and the part-time job programme, designed primarily for single mothers and low-income families, will also be expanded, with upskilling opportunities added to help workers earn more. That is the sum of the President’s poverty reduction strategy, based on the DPI’s report.

It must be said that Guyana, a nation once synonymous with economic hardship, now finds itself at the cusp of historic transformation or economic ruin based on the decisions of our leaders today. With the discovery of massive oil reserves and the onset of petroleum production, the country has entered an era of unprecedented economic growth. Yet, amid the headlines of soaring GDP and foreign investments, a troubling contradiction persists: poverty still grips large segments of the population. Guyana remains deeply unequal and according to the most recent data from the World Bank and other international agencies, a significant portion of the population, particularly in rural areas, Indigenous communities, and depressed urban districts lives below the poverty line. These communities lack access to adequate healthcare, quality education, reliable infrastructure, and economic opportunities. The disconnect between national prosperity and individual well-being is not just an economic issue, but a moral and political one.

The poor in Guyana often go unheard. In hinterland regions, Amerindian communities face chronic underdevelopment, with limited access to electricity, internet, clean water, and paved roads. In urban centers like Georgetown and Linden, underemployment and low wages continue to trap families in cycles of poverty, despite rising costs of living. Inflation, driven in part by the oil boom, is making basic necessities increasingly unaffordable.

We urge that if the government is serious about tackling poverty it will ramp up investments in healthcare, education, housing, and social services, especially in marginalised communities. Conditional cash transfers, nutrition programmes and subsidised housing initiatives can provide immediate relief to the most vulnerable. Additionally, what President Ali and his government must do is to equitably and transparently distribute Guyana’s oil wealth. The Natural Resource Fund (NRF) should not only prioritise infrastructure where corrupt deals are made with contractors, but also human development projects that directly benefit the poor such as schools that are fully equipped, clinics fully staffed and have medicines and job-training centers. Inclusive governance must also be a cornerstone of any poverty reduction strategy. The opposition, civil society and poor communities must have a voice in the policy-making process. Local councils and regional bodies should be strengthened and equipped with the resources and authority to address local issues effectively.

It must be noted too, that poverty in Guyana is not just economic, it is also racial, geographic, and historical. Therefore, government must craft policies that recognise and correct these structural injustices, including land rights for Indigenous peoples and equitable development for all regions and peoples, not just their friend and cronies. As this country heads into another defining elections, the decisions made today will determine whether the country becomes a beacon of inclusive development or a cautionary tale of missed opportunity. The plight of the poor is a failure of policy, vision, and will. Guyana has the means to end poverty. The question is whether its leaders have the courage.

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• APNU, Editorial, Elections, Poverty Reduction, PPP, voters, win

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