In a pointed national address on Tuesday, Guyana President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali made a compelling case for continuity in leadership, warning that the gains made under his administration could be undermined by what he called the “irresponsible, short-sighted” promises of the opposition.
Speaking in a live early morning broadcast on his Facebook page, President Ali invoked the fable of the ant and the grasshopper to stress the value of long-term planning and responsible governance. “We have brought you economic growth. We have brought you widespread development. We are building a social safety net – and we are doing so responsibly and stably,” he said.
With general elections scheduled for September 1, the President positioned the upcoming vote as a choice between stability and regression. He cited a string of achievements under the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) administration, including record-breaking infrastructure investments, the rollout of free tertiary education, and the launch of the largest scholarship programme in Guyana’s history — awarding over 39,000 GOAL scholarships between 2021 and 2025.
President Ali also highlighted efforts in the health sector, pointing to the construction of six regional hospitals across five regions and the commissioning of the Diamond Regional Hospital, which now serves approximately 40,000 residents on the East Bank.
“In just three years, despite losing two to the pandemic, we’ve created tens of thousands of new jobs, delivered thousands of new homes, and offered low-income and low-interest loans to working families,” Ali said. “This is what responsible government looks like.”
The president contrasted this progress with what he described as economic hardship and industrial decline under the previous APNU+AFC coalition government. “We inherited a country in disrepair. Extractive industries like sugar and mining were depleted. Taxes were up. Jobs were down.”
He also issued a sobering reminder of Venezuela’s ongoing claim to Guyana’s Essequibo region, describing it as a pressing national security threat. Ali reaffirmed the country’s commitment to defending its sovereignty and deepening its strategic partnership with the United States.
“Safeguarding this partnership requires serious investments — in surveillance, intelligence, and policing,” he said. “We can’t risk it. The U.S. has already expressed serious national security concerns about certain individuals who believe they can jeopardise our entire country for personal gain.”
As Guyanese prepare to cast their votes, President Ali concluded with a rallying call: “We are committed to building a Guyana for all. So, on September 1st, we either risk it all — or we keep moving forward with the People’s Progressive Party/Civic.”
