Latest update November 7th, 2024 1:00 AM
Oct 10, 2024 Letters
Dear Editor,
As I build out the National Economic and Social Development Plan for the ‘Building Our Dream Guyana’ campaign/movement, this letter will focus on two more key components of our approach to renewing and expanding the middle class and developing a structured ‘Knowledge Economy’ and ‘Service Economy’.
I will also focus briefly on aspects of our implementation strategy for the national plan and to achieve our goal, to eliminate poverty in Guyana by 2035. My government will develop a structured Service Economy. This will consolidate services under tourism, transportation, information and communication technology, energy, financial, legal, health, environmental,
general public services, etc. We will review emergency services and possibly upgrade the Civil Defence Commission (CDC) to a ‘National Emergency Management Agency’ (NEMA).
This agency will also be equipped to address emergencies in the oil and gas industry. The aim is to improve efficiency, accountability and reduce inequality. Another key component of our National Economic and Social Development Plan will be to develop a highly structured Knowledge Economy. The University of Guyana will play a substantial role in the development and sustainability of the Knowledge Economy. Capacity and talent will be drawn from locally, regionally (Caribbean), Guyanese and Caribbean diaspora, and internationally. Academic, professional, and technical talent and expertise, as well as vocational skills will be harnessed. The Government Technical Institutes, Guyana Industrial Training Centre, Carnegie School of Home Economics, and other technical institutions
will be integrally linked to realizing the goals and objectives of the Knowledge Economy.
I did not expound on the ‘Oil and Gas Economy’ because the PNC/R/APNU recently published a 20-point plan for oil and gas, and I think that it covers many of the key areas to develop the industry in a sustainable way. I am also of the view that the 20-point plan lays the foundation for a consensus national oil and gas plan. However, the component that ‘Building Our Dream Guyana’ campaign/movement would add to this 20-point plan is reforms – Administrative, institutional, and legislative. My government will set out to bring the parliamentary political parties together to develop a ‘Pact for Guyana’ for the oil and gas sector, similar to Mexico’s ‘Pacto por Mexico’ which focuses on an agreement between the parliamentary political parties in Mexico to reform the oil and gas sector, including the reform of the state-owned company Petroleos Mexicanos (PEMEX). For almost 80 years, there has been a deadlock over Mexico’s energy sector for major reforms in the oil and gas sector, and in December 2012, in a landmark agreement, the parliamentary political parties came to an agreement.
As a part of our plan to expand the middle class and create one of the best countries for the elderly and youth, my government will expand the scope of the elderly and youth support programmes. We will promote a vibrant civil society. As a part of our implementation plan, we will develop a grant scheme to provide funding to Civil Society Organisations (CSO). Each ministry will integrate a grant programme into their annual budget to provide funding to CSO activities, relative to the National Economic and Social Development Plan.
The private sector will also be encouraged to develop grant schemes to support CSOs and youth organisations with community and general development projects, as a part of their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). The government will also develop a grant scheme for religious organisations to access funding for elderly care and youth development in their communities. We will conduct a needs assessment to determine the
needs of our elderly citizens in all ten regions. Facilities will be constructed and developed to provide services and support the elderly. We will ensure that every region has facilities for our elderly, such as homes, night facilities and facilities for daily activities. My government will assist privately-owned elderly homes with rehabilitation, so that they can provide day, night, and other services. The government will pay for these services for various categories of elderly citizens. These services will also include medical care.
Free transportation services will also be provided for our elderly, to transport them to senior facilities for daily activities and medical services.
My government will develop an elderly medical scheme with insurance companies, to provide medical care to elderly persons in the expanded government programme.
We will also develop a food supply programme for elderly citizens, this will ensure that our elderly who need such support are taken care of. As a part of a government funded programme, we will develop an arrangement with the ICT companies to provide free mobile telephones with monthly credit to elderly citizens who are a part of this programme. These will be
some of the benefits as we develop Guyana into one of the best places to be an elderly person. This will also increase the customer base by thousands for ICT companies, medical, food supply, elderly care,
transportation, etc., hence creating new business and employment opportunities.
We will revive and improve professional and independent associations to ensure quality in production and services (For e.g., engineers, medical, consumers, etc). We will also revive the youth associations, such as
the Girl Guides, Scouts, etc. We will even review some form of a Cadet youth programme. My government will also return to collective bargaining and reviving the trade union movement. Our government will revamp the sports, arts, and culture industry. We will reduce the cost for rental of the
National Cultural Centre and foster a vibrant arts and culture industry. Citizens should benefit from a wide range of cultural activities, for e.g., the return of the ‘Link Show’ (The Link Show should be inter-
generational), and other shows. Shows should be organized annually, monthly, etc. Street and community cultural (Theatre) activities will be fostered. Music, arts, and culture must be a prominent part of the school
curriculum and activities. The sports industry will be reviewed and modernized.
One of the main areas of technical support which my government will require from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is in ‘Business and Human Rights’. We will request technical support
from the international community to integrate wellbeing into our National Economic Development Plan. The indicators we will use to measure growth and development of the country would be Gross Domestic
Product (GDP) and Gross National Happiness (GNH). The wellbeing of the Guyanese people will be of primary importance to my government. Our government will be driven by respect for humanity, human
dignity, human rights, and the rule of law.
What we are proposing is a different path for Guyana’s economic and social development. This framework for the National Economic Development Plan can be a framework for the 10 to 15 years national
development plan that Nigel Hughes, leader of the Alliance for Change (AFC) has indicated needs to be developed. I am asking the Guyanese people to ‘Give Audreyanna a Chance’ to be the next President of Guyana. ‘Give Audreyanna a Chance’ to work with the Guyanese people to ‘Build Our Dream Guyana’ and achieve One People, One Nation, One Destiny; to provide strong leadership; to work with the Guyanese people to build
strong families; to work with the Guyanese people to build strong communities; to work with the Guyanese
people to build strong organisations and institutions; to work with the Guyanese People to develop strong citizenship; to work with the Guyanese people to build a strong economy; to work with the Guyanese people
to build strong bonds; and to work with Guyanese to build a strong Guyana.
For the purpose of this campaign/movement; our community, youth, and diaspora groups, will be called ‘Dream Teams.’ I would like to partner and team up with people who still believe in the ideal of our Motto:
One People One Nation One Destiny.
‘Building Our Dream Guyana’ campaign/movement will be designating the 1st of January to 31st December 2025 as the ‘Year of the Guyanese People’. The focus for this year will be on renewing our commitment as a people to working together to achieve our motto: One People One Nation One Destiny.
Sincerely,
Citizen Audreyanna Thomas
Nov 07, 2024
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