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Building a Better Guyana through Infrastructure Sep 07, 2024 Letters Dear Editor, Guyana is poised for continued impressive growth in Gross Domestic Product (GDP), promising measurable benefits for all Guyanese. The nation’s infrastructure investments aim to improve the facilities and systems that support its economy and society. These investments will enhance access to clean water, affordable electricity, high-paying jobs, better education, and improved healthcare. Guyana’s infrastructure includes the essential structures for providing services, transportation, communication, and overall quality of life. President Irfaan Ali has repeatedly emphasized his government’s commitment to enhancing infrastructure to foster national development and economic growth. He stated, “Infrastructure is the backbone of our economy. It is essential for facilitating trade, attracting investment, and improving the quality of life for our citizens.” This investment directly increases household incomes and creates opportunities for entrepreneurship and small business development. Most importantly, it demonstrates the government’s commitment to improving the lives of all Guyanese while fulfilling its electoral promise of a fairer, more inclusive Guyana. The total value of infrastructure projects reflects President Ali’s focus on economic growth, attracting foreign investment, and enhancing the quality of life for Guyanese. Infrastructure spending is viewed as an economic investment aiming to improve every citizen’s lives. The Government of Guyana projects that these investments could reach several billion USD over the next decade, with estimates suggesting spending could exceed $10 billion as the country modernizes its facilities. The economic benefits of infrastructure investment include increased public goods, which are non-excludable and non-rivalrous—available for all to use without depriving others. Additionally, such investments have a multiplier effect; every dollar spent generates increased economic activity. Beyond job creation, they can lower transportation costs and enhance access to quality education and healthcare, thus improving the workforce’s skills and health. This contributes to increased productivity and economic growth, a key government priority. As of 2024, Guyana is undertaking several significant infrastructure projects: Demerara River Bridge: Estimated cost is around $150 million; Berbice River Bridge: Approximate cost of $161 million; Linden to Lethem Road: Expected investment of $200 million; Airport Expansion: Costing about $150 million; Deep-Water Port: Estimated at $300 million or more; Amaila Falls Project: Estimated to cost $840 million, aimed at reducing energy costs, and Water Supply and Sanitation Improvements: Costs between $50 million and $100 million. A notable benefit of the new bridges, which is in Guyanese’s interest, is that they will eventually allow Guyanese to traverse different parts of the country without paying a toll. President Ali recently announced that there will be no tolls on these crossings, benefiting both households and businesses while significantly reducing transportation costs. This is precisely what infrastructure investment is intended to achieve: making travel and business more accessible for Guyanese. Lowering transportation costs will lessen the burden on households and small businesses. When speaking about the Berbice River Bridge, Vice President Jagdeo noted, “We had to build that bridge because people were spending hours, sometimes days, at the ferry… Most people, especially young ones, don’t know about the hardships there. It used to be long lines, and the price was similar to what is charged as bridge toll now.” This decision by the Government should be celebrated as, ultimately, Guyanese consumers are the principled beneficiaries. Overall, these infrastructure projects illustrate Guyana’s commitment to leveraging its natural resources for sustainable development and enhancing the quality of life for its citizens. These investments are crucial for economic growth, attracting foreign investment, and improving regional connectivity, with millions also invested in agriculture, education, and public safety. The economics of infrastructure spending is straightforward: it impacts all Guyanese. It facilitates commerce for households and businesses, creates jobs, and opens new opportunities for young entrepreneurs. Most importantly, infrastructure investments are foundational elements that support various aspects of economic development, driving growth, efficiency, and the overall well-being of the Guyanese people. Sincerely, Dr. Tilokie Arnold Depoo Economist Related Similar Articles

The opening of Yarrowkabra Secondary School Sep 07, 2024 Letters Dear Editor, At last, the Yarrowkabra Secondary School has been open officially, I would like to thank the government of Guyana for ensuring that the Yarrowkabra Secondary School, which had been budgeted for 826 million by APNU+AFC government in 2018, has become a reality. The project had its political upside and downside, nevertheless it is finished, and already need to be expanded to accommodate about 10 more class rooms, it is one of the best-looking schools on the East Bank. As we push for a better Guyana whether we are in government or opposition, we must take note that education is the backbone of any progressive nation and we as a people need to push for the betterment of our people, removing any prejudice against each other. Government and opposition need to brain storm systems which should be put in place to achieve higher levels of learning, because the present systems are not achieving its goals, as the President of Guyana said, that his government will push technical education, I welcome that, because that is one of our major failures over the years, the lack of technical education in school. Editor with about 27 sawmills on the highway and about 34 in Linden, the time is right for widespread technical education in wood products, about 40% of our wood go to waste, we need to push our value-added industries and training is a major component. As I listened attentively to the President at the opening of the Yarrowkabra School, I noticed his political behaviour was different. Good behaviour, he didn’t use the government project, for political marketing for his party; I just hope this this kind of behaviour continues. Editor, I came to Yarrowkabra in 2005 with six children after the big flood in Georgetown. I didn’t analyze that the cost to send the children to school at Soesdyke, would be high, but then the reality stepped in, it costs a lot, for every child living in Yarrowkabra. Parents may be able to save 80,000 a year in transportation, now because the school is right here. As I became an RDC Region 4 Councillor for AFC in 2006, I started to hold meetings in Yarrowkabra and other villages on the highway and most of the crying for needs of the people was for a Primary School, Secondary School, water, electricity, roads and jobs. But the above was difficult to achieve due to short fall in income generation, Guyana was always in deficit for a long time, our imports were almost a 100% more than our export which causes the devaluation of the Guyana dollar, but with the present income from oil and the hundreds of thousands of people who will be coming here, many more schools would have to be built on the highway. So let us cooperate for the development of Guyana and guard ourselves against wrong influences and domination by outside forces, Guyanese must be the benefactors of our wealth, and must try to hold on to our culture of sharing, better must come if Guyana is put first. Michael Carrington AFC Vice Chairman Related Similar Articles

SULTAN MOHAMED REPLIES TO OGUNSEYE TOUTING FEDERALISM Sep 07, 2024 Letters Dear Editor, If one were to follow Mr. Tacuma Ogunseye’s ramblings in his letter of 30th August 2024 in the KN titled “Ogunseye replies to Sultan Mohamed” one would certainly become more confused. Let’s start from the bottom of his letter. (1) Mr. Ogunseye retorts that my assertion that Dr. Rodney was with agreement with Dr. Jagan to merge the WPA with the PPP is a fabrication. How would he know otherwise? Dr. Rodney must have been aware that the WPA was infiltrated by the PNC state apparatus.  He trusted few in the WPA. In fact, he did not even trust Mr. Kwayana as the latter was against the use of violence while Dr. Rodney was so inclined. Mr. Ogunseye provides no evidence for his rebuttal. Yet I am on record that it was Mr. Hubert Rodney, younger brother of Dr. Rodney who enlightened me about the merger agreement! See https://www.kaieteurnewsonline.com/2021/06/13/rodney-would-have-merged-wpa-into-the-ppp-in-the-long-term/ (2) Mr. Ogunseye wrote he was in the audience at Queen’s College when Trinidad born US Black Power advocate Mr. Stokely Carmichael defined Black Power as being for black people separately – to the objections of Indian students who heckled him and walked out of the meeting. It is true that Mr. Carmichael did say that Indians too should go and organize themselves separately.  I too was at Queen’s College as was the ROAR’s Mr. Ravi Dev and the DLM’s Mr. Paul Tennassee. So what is Dr. Roopnarine, Mr. Moses Bhagwan and Mr. Rohit Kanhai doing in the WPA when they have absolutely no grounding whatsoever among the Indian community?    Shouldn’t they be separately organizing Indians for political power just as Mr. Kwayana has been a historical and unapologetic champion of exclusive African people’s rights? Mr. Ogunseye positively fails to acknowledge by omission that Dr. Rodney defined Black Power to include Indians!  None can deny that the charismatic Dr. Rodney had immense multi-racial appeal especially among Indians. (3) Mr. Ogunseye is still on record as championing armed means to achieve political power in Guyana. In fact, he as well as Dr. Rodney and Dr. Roopnarine were on the WPA committee to amass weapons to overthrow the PNC government. Double agent Mr. Robert Allan Gates driver and bodyguard of Dr. Roopnarine confirmed to the Rodney Commission of Inquiry (RCOI) that he witnessed the collection of arms by the WPA leader!   In any violent means to achieve political power, Indians would be at a disadvantage as Mr. Burnham seized all Indian guns in the 1960s. Mr. Ogunsye’s contradiction is that unlike him, Mr. Kwayana was against the use of armed means of removing the PNC government. As the preeminent Afrocentric leader Mr. Kwayana could not fathom the thought of Africans shooting Africans in the unbalanced Africanized armed forces of Guyana. Why is Mr. Ogunseye, as a seasoned and proclaimed WPA co leader again, so openly and consistently championing the use of violence in a fragile multi-racial society like Guyana? See WPA’s Ogunseye fails to reject violence by his own words, Ogunseye’s position on violence is unchanged.  In fact, why is the PNC so desperately courting the WPA to be in a coalition considering the latter’s proclivity for violence? (4)  Mr. Ogunseye admits that “Mr. Kwayana called for ‘partition’, – end of story.” Far from the end of this long divisive story by the merchant of partition – Mr. Kwayana is its truth. What Mr. Ogunseye should acknowledge is that the race problem is not solvable by violence. The choices are clear; we can continue to embrace merchant Mr. Kwayana’s partition advocacy or go with Mr. Ravi Dev’s alternatively suggested Federalism. Both Africans and Indians would be free to manage themselves under Federalism without the humbuggery of the other. What do you say about Federalism Mr. Ogunseye? Respectfully, Sultan Mohamed Related Similar Articles

CARICOM should condemn attempts to stifle democratic aspirations of the Venezuelan people Sep 07, 2024 Letters Dear Editor, I am a democrat. I abhor dictatorship. This is why I strongly condemn attempts to stifle the democratic aspirations of the Venezuelan people by the Maduro regime. It is saddening to know that with the exception of Guyana and Suriname, no other CARICOM country signed a joint multi-country statement sponsored by the United States in condemnation of the Maduro regime for attempting to rig the recent national elections. Unlike most of the CARICOM countries, Guyana and Suriname are the only two CARICOM countries that experienced dictatorial rule in the past. It is not only understandable but also commendable that they both took a principled position on the issue of dictatorial rule. I am disappointed by the apparent ambiguity displayed by the other CARICOM countries on the issue. The region, and for that matter the vast majority of countries in hemisphere now embrace democracy and democratic rule. Any departure from that trend is an aberration to democratic norms. This conspiracy of silence, for whatever reason or reasons, is counterproductive and inimical to the image of the region as a bastion of democracy. Hydar Ally Related Similar Articles

Exxon’s production vessels have meters and they meet or exceed international industry standards Sep 07, 2024 Letters Dear Editor, It’s unfortunate this publication continues to spread misinformation about ExxonMobil Guyana’s operations. Its readers deserve better. Contrary to assertions repeatedly made by the paper this week, Government representatives are present to witness every offshore oil lift – both their own, and those of the Stabroek block consortium. Simply put, none of the consortium members can lift oil without a government witness present. The Government has described how it exercises its rights and duties to closely monitor our operations. The Government’s oil lifts also aren’t a mystery – they are available for anyone to read on the Ministry of Natural Resources’ website. Furthermore, despite repeated claims to the contrary, our offshore production vessels have meters, and those meters meet or exceed international industry standards. That data is also monitored by the Government. Those looking for factual information about Guyana’s oil-and-gas industry would be better served seeking out news outlets that are committed to factual and unbiased reporting. Sincerely, Alistair Routledge President, ExxonMobil Guyana Related Similar Articles

The launch of the National Defence Institute deserves commendation Sep 07, 2024 Letters Dear Editor, The announcement by young President Ali at the launch of the National Defence Institute (NDI) deserves commendation and congratulations. However, the few of us who have been around long enough, may regard this, commendable as it is, no more than forms of Plagiarism, Propaganda and Pomposity. Almost fifty years ago, a confidential state paper was prepared, titled ‘Defence in Depth.’ In addition to the announcement by President Ali, the document addressed the basic outline of the proposals contained in his announcement.  Additionally, it included providing the physical infrastructure and logistical support for cadres from National Service, security forces and educational institutions to provide them the opportunity to settle on tracks of land in areas along our borders. The underlying philosophy was that if you are a Guyanese, trained in military, agricultural, mining and other skills, this will be the best means to secure our borders from the ambition of our neighbours. It was an elaborate, well-thought-out project, but due to the oil crisis and other factors, we did not have the enormous sums of money to activate Defence in Depth. It is no secret that we have a government that will do nothing that appears and could be regarded as the brainchild of Burnham. Defence in depth assumed free education from Kindergarten to University. With gold and other precious materials being found in many areas and the government having access to an abundance of cash, it will be a gift to this and succeeding generations, if Defence in Depth was activated in totality. We now have the money; we are now discovering natural resources in large quantities; some being harvested by foreigners. Defence in Depth would have ensured that more Guyanese benefit from the Creators’ bounty. Nevertheless, we all wish the project success. Hamilton Green Elder Related Similar Articles