President Irfaan Ali has urged Guyanese living in Canada to return home to invest.
A statement from the Office of the President said that the Head of State made his appeal last evening virtually during the feature address at the Guyanese Republic Jubilee Awards Ceremony and Presentation organised by the Guyana Consulate in Canada.
“I want to say to the diaspora, stop doubting yourselves. Many of you call me directly and say I want to come and do this but what if…, what if what? Do not doubt yourselves. In investment there is an element of risk, in business there is an element of risk. In moving from one State to another there is an element of risk, in moving from one country to another there is an element of risk,” President Ali said.
He acknowledged that there are areas in which the Government needs to improve in order to create a conducive atmosphere for growth and development.
“We acknowledge the areas in which we have to improve to make you comfortable in an environment you are accustomed to, speed at which you get service; quality of service. We are not hiding from these things. These are things we have to fix and we are fixing.”
The President called on the overseas based Guyanese to be bold and pioneering in their endeavours and promised that they will be welcomed. “We are in this together. We want you to come. We are waiting on your arrival. We know you are committed, we know you have love for country, take the bold step.”
The President also spoke about his Government’s economic modernisation and infrastructure transformation plans.
He said that although Guyana is now an oil-producing state, the country is still looking to diversify.
“The traditional sectors – rice, sugar, forestry, bauxite and gold mining are important to wealth creation, employment generation and income distribution.”
In this regard, the President noted that his Government intends to modernise and grow the aforementioned sectors and is especially committed to reviving the sugar industry in a “smarter manner” by moving production up the value-chain and by diversifying the industry.
He pointed to the developmental plans in place, including: the completion of the East Coast Demerara Highway; the resurfacing of the East Coast Railway Embankment from Sheriff Street to Enmore; the remodelling of the Linden to Lethem Highway and work on the Linden to Mabura Hill section. The President also adverted to the construction of a road link between Ogle and Diamond, the development of a four-lane highway between Georgetown and Timehri, a road link between Parika and Rockstone and a new high-span bridge across the Demerara River, which he estimates will be completed before the end of 2024.
“We are working with the Republic of Suriname to bridge the Corentyne River and to create a corridor which will link French Guiana and Suriname to the East of Guyana and thence southwards to Brazil and other continental states”, he said.