President Irfaan Ali yesterday promised to “aggressively explore” options to improve the circumstances of the residents of the depressed community of Tiger Bay in the west of the capital.
Accompanied to the community by First Lady, Arya Ali, the First Couple partnered with civil society groups and the business community to donate more than 150 relief hampers to residents of Tiger Bay.
A release from the Office of the President said that the hampers contained essential household items, which were donated by the Central Islamic Organisation of Guyana, the Muslim Youth Organisation, Mohamed’s Enterprise and People’s Beauty Products, among other businesses.
During the outreach, Ali said that the government has a responsibility to ensure that it offers support to the most vulnerable segments of society.
He posited that the role of the government extends beyond policy work, and so citizens must be able to see and interact with government officials.
“When you see and interact with people, it gives you a more sincere understanding. We don’t want a gap between the people and the government,” the President said to the residents.
Ali, a former Minister of Housing, said that the housing needs of the Tiger Bay residents will be made a priority, alongside the creation of employment opportunities. The President also announced that the planned Youth Advisory Council will work with at-risk youths to be an instrument of change.
“We want to give every young person the best opportunity in every area of their life. We want every young person to have their own job and own their own home,” he stated.
Meanwhile, the release said that First Lady Arya Ali also used the opportunity to engage some of the residents of the community, outlining some of her plans to support youth and women.
She said that over the next five years, her office will work towards providing social and economic support for women and other vulnerable groups across Guyana.
One of the intended plans is to facilitate micro and small scale women-led businesses by having lending agencies and other financial institutions provide start-up capital to entrepreneurs.
Additionally, she said that she will be working with the Ministry of Education and some of the country’s post-secondary institutions to increase enrolment of women and youths who are desirous of learning a skill or trade
