PPP Civic unveils manifesto titled Guyana 2.0

Last Updated on Saturday, 25 April 2015, 19:34 by GxMedia

MESSAGE FOM PRESIDENT DONALD RAMOTAR AND PRIME MINISTERIAL CANDIDATE ELISABETH HARPER

This Manifesto – Guyana Version 2.0 – sets out how the PPP/C seeks to continue serving all the people of Guyana, so that our country is one where the next generation does even better than the past, with current transformation and modernization.

This Manifesto highlights the next phase of our long-term economic plan, which builds on the remarkable progress that Guyana has made under successive PPP/C Governments. It also highlights how we will stay true to our own core values, and the deep enduring values of the PPP/C – to ensure that nobody get left behind as our country progresses.

We are proud of our country and its people. We are also proud of the achievements of the PPP/C in Government.

It is important to recognize how far our country has come.

In October of 1992, the people of Guyana asserted their democratic sovereignty and elected a PPP/C Government after decades of misrule and loss of democracy. The previous PNC Government had bankrupted Guyana, and had caused so much damage to the economy that they were forced to cede Guyana’s economic sovereignty to the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Decisions on Guyana’s economy were no longer made in Guyana – but at the IMF’s headquarters in Washington, D.C. Years of hard work by the PPP/C Government re-built the economy and national institutions, and as a result, Guyana was able to regain economic sovereignty in 2005, when Guyana was deemed strong enough to exit from mandatory IMF oversight.

With economic sovereignty restored, our country started, in 2006, the most remarkable period of economic growth in its history. Since then, we have sustained nine years of uninterrupted economic growth, out-performing almost every single country in the Americas, and we are poised to reap the benefits if we continue to make the right decisions in the years ahead.

The road travelled over the last over two decades was a long and difficult one, and it required many sacrifices from the Guyanese people. But today, we have an economy that is built on strong foundations. It is these foundations that are enabling small and large businesses across Guyana to create new, modern jobs. These foundations are critical to Guyana’s attracting record-breaking levels of foreign investment into our country, and unprecedented numbers of Guyanese now own their homes. These foundations are also the reason we have achieved Universal Primary Education and are close to achieving Universal Secondary Education. We have been able to build a health system that is accessible to all; to create economic safety nets to protect the most vulnerable in our society; to repair broken infrastructure and build new road, water and air transportation facilities. These are the reasons we are on track to meet most of our Millennium Development Goals by the end of 2015, which is something that sadly, too few countries in the world can say today.

But if you look behind the headlines and the statistics, the foundations we built have restored something more profound. They have restored hope in our country – and a real belief among today’s young people that they can achieve the same levels of success that their counterparts in richer parts of the world can achieve. It is that sense of hope and a deep belief in our people that inspire us to seek a mandate from the citizens of Guyana to lead a Government for the next five years, because there is much yet to do.

Our economy is not thriving by itself. It needs to be nurtured through hard work, and as a small, open economy, we have to stay vigilant in the face of changing global economic realities. This Manifesto sets out how we will win the battle to ensure that our traditional industries – including sugar, rice, forestry and mining – be viable, prosperous and generate decent work in the face of very difficult global challenges. It describes how new economic frontiers are being opened up by Government policy and how we will continue to support the expansion of jobs and wealth creation in areas such as business process outsourcing, environmental services, agri-business and tourism. We will finish the work we started to liberalize the telecommunications sector and make phone and data services cheaper. We will build the Amaila Falls Hydropower plant and provide cheaper, more reliable, cleaner energy for Guyanese citizens and businesses. We will ensure that the phenomenal increase in the number of people owning their own homes continue.

This strongly growing economy is what generates the finances that enable the Government to invest in the future and protect the vulnerable. PPP/C Governments have sustained one of the highest levels of investment in education in the world, and this will continue with the focus moving to ensuring Universal Secondary Education and a vastly improved University of Guyana. We will continue to invest significant sums in healthcare across the country, and we will build a Specialty Hospital so that advanced medical care be available to all Guyanese. We will continue to expand access to treated water, and affordable housing for low-income households. An increased focus on the most vulnerable will be possible because of increasing Government revenue. This means better care for children, the elderly, and for differently abled persons. Women’s issues will be prioritized, including new dedicated efforts to reduce sexual and other forms of domestic violence, which are   a stain on our national character. Our unswerving resolve to support our Amerindian brothers and sisters as they realize their ambitions means that over the next five years, all outstanding Amerindian land titling requests will be addressed and all Amerindian communities will secure investment in their home-grown Community Development Plans.

This Manifesto sets out our detailed plans for these and many other important priorities. It is not a populist appeal built from an unachievable wish-list. Neither is it an aspirational dream of the future or a list of false promises that could never be realized. Instead, it is a realistic, affordable set of plans to harness the talents and energy of the Guyanese people because ultimately, it is our collective effort that will build the next version of Guyana.

The policies of the PPP/C set out in this Manifesto should be contrasted with the alternative proposition presented by the Coalition. This is a Coalition led by the very people who bankrupted Guyana, and then resumed their anti-development practices just over three years ago when their one-seat majority in the National Assembly gave them power again. This is the Coalition which, over the past three years, cut tens of billions from the national budget, with the aim of preventing investment in important development. They drove foreign investors away from our country, tried to terminate Guyana’s payments for environmental services from the Government of Norway, voted to block Guyana’s world-leading Low Carbon Development Strategy, refused to pass the Anti-Money Laundering Legislation, and prevented a thoughtful debate on combatting genuine corruption by generating a fog of misinformation and accusation designed only to serve political purposes.

The opposition are also the same people who denigrate our people’s ability to thrive. The Leader of the Coalition says that “Guyana is an unhappy country”. We profoundly disagree. Rather, we believe that the people of Guyana are optimistic about the future that they can create for themselves, and empowered to know enough about politics to make the right choice.

On May 11, 2015, the people of Guyana face that important choice. With a deep sense of responsibility and humility, we ask you to give us your trust, confidence and support so that the PPP/C can once again have a strong mandate to govern Guyana for the benefit of all Guyanese.

This Manifesto sets out our goals and our plans. If you entrust us to deliver them, we give you our word that we will not let you down. We will do everything within our power to ensure that your dreams and hope for a better life is realized.

OUR VISION

THE PPP/C IS ABOUT PEACE, PROGRESS AND PROSPERITY. WE CONTINUE OUR JOURNEY TOWARDS THESE ASPIRATIONS AND IN THIS NEW PERIOD TO 2020, WE WILL REACH NEW HEIGHTS OF PROSPERITY.

We aim to live in a united, vibrant, prosperous country, proud of our cultural, religious and ethnic diversity. We will be better educated, healthier, live longer, live in our own homes, make optimal use of information technology, and work in better paying jobs. As a nation, we are committed to pursuing economic and social justice for all, committed to gender equality, family values and protection of the welfare of our women, children, the elderly and the poor, and providing opportunities for our people to develop their talents in sports and culture. Our country will be proudly playing a leadership role in the global effort for a better hunger-free world, a safer and more sustainable environment, and promoting better options for managing climate change.

 

The People’s Progressive Party/Civic alliance is pleased to present its 2015 Manifesto – Our Vision: Guyana Version 2.0, for the people for 2020 and beyond. This document captures where we want to take Guyana, the policies we intend to pursue, and the core values to which we subscribe. This Vision is realistic, achievable and builds on existing accomplishments. It is a roadmap of strategies, policies and plans premised on a united people, reaching even greater heights of prosperity. It presents a vision of building together one nation, with a common future.

VISION 2020

▪          A united country where all our people regardless of gender, race, ethnicity or religious affiliation can continue to reach new heights in peace and harmony.

▪          A proud country playing a leadership role in regional and hemispheric cooperation and integration.

▪          A beacon of environmental stewardship for the rest of the world and a leader in charting a new developmental path for green growth.

▪          A country that is a model of cultural and religious tolerance.

▪          A country where our people respect hard work and honest living.

▪          A democratic country governed by the rule of law and where the Constitution is sacrosanct; where the rights and freedoms of the individual are safeguarded and where there are effective and efficient law enforcement and judicial systems in place.

▪          A nation where poverty is eliminated and where the fruits of economic growth are fairly and equitably distributed.

▪          A globally respected, sovereign and independent Guyana with secure borders, enjoying friendly and good relations with our neighbours.

▪          A country with a sustainable, expanded, modern and diversified economy with new frontiers of economic growth, job-creation programmes and transformative infrastructure.

▪          A Guyana with modern industries, innovative technologies, attracting investment, improving the competiveness of our goods and services and a Brand Guyana boosting growth.

▪           A nation linked through markets and communications to the rest of the world, a gateway to South America and a hub for markets to the North and South.

▪          A country where transparency and accountability are principles that guide our work.

▪          A country with equal opportunities for all; where people can access opportunities to pursue their goals as workers, farmers, entrepreneurs and professionals in a safe and secure environment.

▪          A country where children can work towards and achieve their dreams.

▪          A country providing world class healthcare and educational services to all its people; technical and tertiary education for all to meet the needs of Guyana.

▪          A caring and responsible society in which the needs of the elderly and retired are taken care of so that they can spend their golden years in even greater dignity.

▪          A Guyana where the security services are properly resourced to guarantee internal security and so be able to protect our territorial integrity.

▪          A Nation that ensures the social, emotional and mental wellbeing of its citizens, particularly the most vulnerable groups ( women, children, disabled, elderly and youth)

▪          Implementing a governance model of empowering and devolving greater responsibilities and autonomy to local government authorities; deepening inclusivity and bringing decision making closer to the people.

▪          Support the development of Amerindian People’s quality of life so as to ensure cultural preservation and social advancement.

A Vibrant, Resilient and Progressive Economy

Guided by the responsible stewardship of the PPP/C Government, the Guyanese economy has defied global and regional trends and registered nine years of uninterrupted growth. This outstanding performance has facilitated significant improvements in the quality of life enjoyed by all Guyanese.

Our vision for the future is one of an economy that is vibrant, resilient, and that will generate enough wealth to ensure that the aspirations of all our people can be realized in the shortest possible time.

Our economy registered sustained and impressive growth rates since 1992, but particularly over the last 10 years. This growth has spawned thousands of new jobs for Guyanese.

The PPP/C believes that Guyana must continue to grow and compete in regional and global markets in order to assure higher living standards for all. Building a strong, resilient and stable economy will provide greater opportunities, jobs, security and increased prosperity. The PPP/C will make long-term strategic choices to ensure that our economy generate more businesses and jobs. The PPP/C will work within every sector, particularly in less populated areas, to provide opportunities for job creation and the establishment of small and medium business for our young people in all regions, by creating the right incentives for investment and business- promotion.

Strengthen the Traditional Sources of Growth

Notwithstanding the maturity of the traditional sectors (rice, sugar, gold, bauxite, forestry), the PPP/C Government will remain committed to ensuring their long-term viability, modernization and profitability.

We will Improve Productivity and Competitiveness by:

▪          Reducing bureaucracy

▪          Simplifying the tax system

▪          Improving access to financing

▪          Promoting the use of technology

▪          Promoting a highly skilled workforce

▪          Providing energy security

▪       Marketing the Brand Guyana

▪          Expanding infrastructure and polices conducive to business development

Our economic plan is consistent with the following critical outcomes:

▪          Strong Economic Growth: Continued strong real growth in gross domestic product, increasing per capita income, stimulating national and individual wealth creation and poverty reduction, and bringing the benefits of growth to all Guyanese.

▪          Fiscal and Monetary Management: Prudent management of public finances to work for a balanced budget, long-term debt sustainability, adequate external balances,  exchange rate stability, low domestic price inflation, and  expansion of credit to the private sector.

▪          Economic Diversification:Rapid diversification of the productive base, reduce vulnerability to external market volatility and increase resilience, built on both a strengthening of the traditional sectors and accelerated facilitation of the new frontiers of growth.

▪          Job Creation: Focus on job intensive growth with special emphasis on sectors that create meaningful employment, and ensuring that our education system equip our young people for the requirements of the new economy.

▪          Improved Infrastructure: Strengthening the infrastructural and institutional prerequisites for improved competitiveness and higher productivity.

▪          Strong Private Sector: Facilitating the further growth of the private sector. Prompting a mixed economy where investment will be attracted from local and foreign capital, and public-private partnerships will be pursued for specific areas such as infrastructural development.

Catalyzing New Frontiers for Transformative Growth

Under the next PPP/C Government, the new economy of Guyana will be driven by buoyant growth and the expansion of the following sectors:

▪          Environmental and Climate Services

▪          Large scale mineral, oil, and gas exploration and extraction

▪          Energy Development, including renewable energy

▪          Large scale agriculture, agro-processing and agro-business

▪          Information and Communications Technology Services

▪          Tourism and Hospitality

▪          Transformative Infrastructure

Improving Living Standards and Quality of Life

The PPP/C Government has always been a government of and for the people. The PPP/C has always argued that the real test of the success of any development process lies in the happiness of all the people. The resources and wealth of Guyana belong to all of us. Social and economic growth must reach all citizens, wherever they live and must lead to greater equity. For the PPP/C, the fruits of growth and development must reach the weakest, most deprived persons everywhere, even in the most remote areas. No development plan is good enough unless it is geared to eradicate, and ultimately bring an end to poverty.

To support growth and new employment generating sectors, the following Infrastructural Developments will be pursued:

▪          Amaila Falls Hydro Project

▪          Deep Water Harbour

▪          New Demerara River Bridge

▪          Airport Modernization and Expansion

▪          Corentyne River Bridge to Suriname

▪          Lethem/Brazil Road Corridor

▪          East Bank Road Corridor

▪          East Coast Road Corridor

▪          Sustainable Urban Transport

Job Creation Initiatives

Our highest priority will be to create a Guyana where every person of working age is able to obtain gainful and fulfilling employment and/or become self-employed. For this to be realized, we will ensure that educational opportunities expand, placing special emphasis on better alignment with the skill requirements of the new productive sectors.

The job creation agenda would be further supported by:

▪          Strengthening the efficient and transparent delivery of targeted poverty alleviation programmes to end poverty in Guyana.

▪          Empowering all levels of government, civil society, academic and financial institutions in our mission to end poverty.

▪          Identifying the most vulnerable villages of the country for special developmental programmes.

▪          Gainfully employing rural poor in agriculture and allied industrial activities.

▪          Promoting skill-training for the urban poor to take advantage of the emerging opportunities.

▪          Simplifying the tax system and improve access to financing.

▪          Reviewing the impact of taxes and other factors on cost of living.

▪          Periodic review of the regime business taxes to encourage greater investment by large, medium and small scale businesses.

▪          Implementing measures to improve financial intermediation and expand opportunities for “development type” finance.

▪          Raising quality and relevance in the education and training system

▪          Implementing national apprenticeship and special youth employment programmes

▪          Revitalizing existing Industrial Sites, Establish Regional Industrial Sites and provide incentives for job creation opportunities.

▪          Focusing on downstream, value-added industries in agriculture, forestry, and mining sectors.

▪          Incentivizing foreign investment specific to employment creation.

▪          Providing incentives and opportunities for employers to hire youths.

▪          Developing entrepreneurship and apprenticeship programmes.

▪          Establishing business development services.

▪          Promoting appropriate micro-finance and innovative forms of credit.

▪          Setting up job intermediation, counseling and mentoring centres.

Expand Manufacturing, Rural Enterprise Development, Micro, Small and Medium Scale Enterprises

We believe that manufacturing, rural enterprise development and micro, small and medium scale businesses growth will drive prosperity “by the many, not the few”. The PPP/C will continue to work with the private sector to promote and encourage viable industries; rural, micro, small, medium and large scale, utilizing the agricultural resources base, among other sub-sectors.

Our Commitments will include:

▪          Incentivizing the establishment of Bank micro-credit facilities for small and medium size business and development projects.

▪          Incentivizing our banking system so that it works for the greater benefit of businesses in agriculture, services and manufacturing

▪          Crafting a new industrial programme for coconut, cassava, pepper and bamboo.

▪          Implementing value added initiatives for the forest industry

▪          Promoting the packaging and processing of agriculture products – food, cosmetics and medicines, crafts and agri-energy products

▪          Creating a special development fund for Regions 2, 5, 6 and 10, patterned after the Amerindian Community Development Plan to encourage jobs and wealth creation activities.

▪          Constructing Call Centres in Enmore, East Coast Demerara, Tushen, West Coast Demerara, Corentyne, Linden and Essequibo Coast. These call centres will create more than 5000 direct jobs.

▪          Constructing Chip Factories – Chips factories will be constructed in Wakenaam and Leguan. These factories will create more than 40 direct jobs for women and youths.

▪          Constructing a Cereal Plant in Anna Regina, Essequibo Coast. This plant is expected to generate a high degree of economic activity in Essequibo and it will create 80 direct jobs.

▪          Establishing a manufacturing and processing plants to use cassava, rice and plantain for value-added commercial markets.

▪       Providing fiscal incentives to MSMEs, especially to encourage investment in the manufacturing sector.

▪       Establishing Revolving Funds to assist start-up businesses in rural communities. These facilities will also be used to develop the credit worthiness of small entrepreneurs so that they would be able to access funds from the formal financial system in the future with minimal support from Government. 

▪       Collaborating with reputable international agencies to develop and implement cluster programmes.

▪       Existing industrial estates will be so managed to make it easier for investors to expand or initiate business activities.

▪       Developing industrial and commercial zones within new and existing housing settlements for MSMEs consistent with government’s agenda to promote Local Economic Development (LED).

▪       Entering into Public Private Partnerships with MSMEs to develop products with great export potential, for example, rice-noodles/pasta, juices and coconut.

▪       Establishing more Guyana Shops within and outside Guyana to market locally produced items. Additionally, local supermarkets will be encouraged to promote locally produced goods.

▪       Establishing Business Development Centres within every Regional Democratic Council (RDCs), equipped with a Resource Library Centre and provide Business Advisory and Incubatory Service.

▪       Capacity Building of entrepreneurs through the continued provision of training opportunities and business support services that match the needs of MSMEs.

▪       Amendingthe Small Business Act to protect MSMEs and encourage investment.

▪       Implementing the Credit Guaranteed Scheme and the Low Carbon Grant Scheme under the MSME project, and Amerindian Development Fund.

 

 

Food Security and Agribusiness

We have always promoted agriculture as a vehicle for national prosperity, to end poverty and hunger, and provide opportunities for better lives for ALL Guyanese.

Agriculture is one of the engines of Guyana’s economic growth and a large scale employer. The PPP/C commits the highest priority to agricultural growth, recognizing its contribution to the economy, farmers’income and rural development.

We will continue to implement appropriate policies to increase agriculture’s share of our GDP, increase employment in the sector, and in particular, increase the contribution of agriculture to economic growth, rural transformation and development in all ten (10) administrative regions.

The Agriculture Sector will continue to be built around the five areas known as the F5 Strategy: Food Security (no more hunger); Fiber and Nutritious Food (no more malnutrition); Fuel production (clean energy and energy security); Fashion and Health Products (expanding agro-processing into areas outside of food); and Furniture and Crafts (further expansion of agriculture outside of food).

Our Commitments to Agribusiness will include:

▪          Fully implementing the National Agriculture Strategy.

▪          Improving farm-to-market transportation, including boats to assist farmers to transport produce to markets.

▪          Establishing packaging/canning factories in various geographical locations to preserve and add value to agricultural produce.

▪          Transforming the Guyana Marketing Corporation (GMC) to purchase produce from farmers and to re-sell to large users, like hospitals, manufacturers and for exports.

▪          Strengthening and expanding rural credit facilities.

▪          Introducing consumer-friendly farmers’ markets to reduce wastage and increase income and risk coverage.

▪          Encouraging large scale soya and corn production and new crops such as quinoa, rubber and palm oil

▪          Promoting an agri-energy industry, producing bio-ethanol through sugar cane, palm oil, cassava and corn.

▪          Beginning the process of opening up at least 300,000 acres of new land, including establishment of the Mahaica-Mahaicony Conservancy

▪          Increasing irrigation pumping capacity

▪          Increasing drainage pumping capacity

▪          Increasing outfall de-silting pontoon excavator capacity and start the construction of groynes.

▪          Commissioning a State-of-the-Art National Soil Laboratory

▪          Transforming Ebini, Kairuni and Hosororo Nurseries to Centers of Excellence, with dormitory facilities for the Guyana School of Agriculture (GSA) students to complete attachments and for researchers from Guyana and abroad to conduct studies

▪          Expanding the GSA Agro-processing facility to produce more products for the international markets

▪          Completing soil mapping for at least six (6) regions by 2020.

 

Our Commitments to Food Security include:

▪          Achieving Nutrition Security – eliminating malnutrition

▪          Ensuring reduction of food imports through local production

▪          Increasing exports of rice and sugar, as both bulk and value-added agriculture commodities

▪          Increasing export of non-traditional crop products by at least 25% by 2020

▪          Meeting the local demand for milk and dairy products through local production, reducing milk imports by at least 20% by 2020

▪          Reaching export level production for meats, such as chicken, beef and small ruminant meat

▪          Exporting locally produced aqua-culture products, such as tambaqui and packoo, to international markets

▪          Increasing agro-processing for the local and export markets

▪          Introducing a farm certification system for traceability of produce and products.

▪          Implementing control programmes for paddy bug, black sigatoka disease and acoushi ants

Rice

▪          Establishing a National Paddy Price Support System that would allow for the safeguarding of farmers from erratic market behaviour for rice. This new mechanism will assist the farmers to receive payments within the legally required time frame and assurance for the viability of the industry and wellbeing of our rice farmers.

▪          Maintaining production above 600,000 tonnes and export above 500,000 tonnes annually and increasing export destinations from 32 to atleast 40 countries and diversify rice markets to non-traditional destinations in Central and South America and to Africa

▪          Continuing to improve paddy yields to an average above 40 bags per acre by 2020

▪          Promoting the use of precision farming methods, focusing on agronomic practices, including soil testing, balanced nutrition with mixed fertilizers and laser-leveling of fields

▪          Increasing packaged rice sales in the local and international markets for Guyana’s rice brands

▪          Encouraging value-added rice products, including flour, cereal and rice snacks.

▪          Expanding drying and storage facilities in all regions

▪          Promoting the use of agro-energy technology to produce power for the rice industry, reducing cost of production

▪          Upgrading the Research Center at Burma to facilitate research by local and international scientists and for farmers to be attached for improving their farming skills 

Sugar

▪          The PPP/C will continue to support the sugar sector with a minimum investment of G$20 billion for the viability of the industry. This investment will be made for improving the productivity of the fields, modernization of all existing factories, accelerating the mechanization of the industry, investing in refinery and distillery capacities and increasing production of packaging and specialty products, and retraining of workers.

▪          Increasing production to about 400,000 tonnes.

▪          Achieving at least 60% of mechanization in harvesting and 85% in mechanized cane loading.

▪          Increasing production of packaged sugar to at least 50,000 tonnes.

▪          Expanding the production of bottled molasses as a commercial product for the local and international markets.

▪          Expanding Albion Ethanol plant to produce more ethanol and to be able to use other substrates, including cassava.

▪          Improving the management of the sugar industry and providing better remuneration for the workers.

Livestock

▪          Promoting the production of local feeds, by encouraging the use of domestic inputs such as corn, soya and other inputs.

▪          Establishing feed standards and develop capacity to test feed.

▪          Establishing abattoirs in various strategic regions, which will meet international best-practice standards.

▪          Establishing and managing pastures in selected regions

▪          Increasing local production of hatching eggs

▪          Increasing yield of milk and beef per animal in order to reduce cost of production

Non-Traditional

▪          Increasing production and diversification of crops, with priority on new crops and varieties

▪          Acquiring and field test improved/higher yielding varieties of corn, soya bean and cassava, and other  crops

▪          Consolidating the pilot projects for corn, soya, chickpeas and promoting these as commercial crops for farmers

▪          Developing a new variety of sweet potato to target the export market

▪          Developing carrots, garlic, onion and white potato in large-scale farms

▪          Consolidating the production of spices – ginger, black pepper and turmeric to meet local demands

▪          Increasing cultivation and export of sweet pepper

▪          Improving cassava production to greater than 20 tons per acre and promote value-added cassava products, including cassava as a substrate for ethanol production

▪          Supporting the coconut and plantain farmers to increase output.

 

Fisheries

▪          Enhancing support for the fisheries co-op societies

▪          Intensify anti-piracy efforts

▪          Continuing to engage Suriname on concerns of fisher folk

▪          Expanding sustainable inland fishing and promote fishing tourism

▪          Expanding sustainable aquaculture

▪          Developing and implementing Shark, Prawns and Red Snapper Management Plans

Economic Free-Zones

▪          Continuing to support Trade and Investment Partnerships (TTIP), which have the potential to bring significant benefits to Guyanese consumers, workers and businesses.

▪          Establishing Economic Free Zones (EFZ) in particular regions of Guyana to encourage industrial development and trade.

▪          Tailoring each EFZ towards specific sectors and industries including ICT, manufacturing, finance, gold and jewellery and health care.

▪          Offering both foreign and local businesses attractive fiscal concessions and investment incentives, including tax holidays for specified time periods.

A New Economic Frontier of Growth – Tourism

We are proud of the development in tourism under our stewardship and we will continue our efforts to establish Guyana as a leading quality and sustainable tourism destination to facilitate national development, and to build tourism as a key economic driver for Guyana.

Guyana will be established as an international quality tourism destination, offering a green, pristine and intact environment, world class eco- attractions and activities, spectacular landscapes, authentic heritage and cultural experiences, outdoor adventure activities, amazing wildlife, home-produced cuisine, indigenous community based experiences underpinned by a friendly, welcoming and professional approach to visitors.

Tourism will be strengthened and reinforced as a strong indigenous industry that supports Guyana’s economic independence by providing employment and revenue generation for the nation’s public and social services.

Our Commitments will include:

▪          Promoting   Destination Guyana as the number one Eco, Nature and Adventure Destination in the Caribbean.

▪          Developing tourist zones that are affordable and built around themes that are reflective of each administrative region, creating infrastructure and employment and helping to boost revenue generation for every Region.

▪          Improving the safety and security of tourists. 

▪          Developing and promoting domestic tourism.

▪          Further developing and promoting Guyana as a yachting destination for more yachting rallies and facilitating the establishment of a Marina with moorings and supplies for yachts and small boats.

▪           Strengthening  the Guyana Tourism Authority to increase market demand within the Diaspora, Vacation and Business Target Markets  and expansion into existing, new and emerging markets in North America, Caribbean, Europe, China, India, Brazil and the Dutch market

▪          Commissioning the Hospitality Institute to enhance our human resources capacity to serve a modern, high quality and competitive tourism industry.

▪          Developing and marketing Guyana as a Cruise destination. We will continue to improve our infrastructure to attract more cruise ships to Guyana.

▪          Developing the Cheddi Jagan International Airport as a regional and international hub for aircraft movement into South America, taking advantage of our geographic location on the northern shoulder of South America while exploring the possibilities of developing natural assets to reach neo-markets.

▪          Promoting Twin Destination Marketing   with our Caribbean counterparts, offering a tourism product different from that of the Caribbean.

▪          Expanding incentives to tourism services providers.

Energy Security

Our National Energy Policy will continue to be guided by principles and strategies aimed at ensuring that stable, reliable and affordable energy is provided to all persons and to industries in an economically viable, environmentally friendly and sustainable framework.

According to United States Geological Survey (USGS) estimates, the Guyana basin reserves have a potential of 15.2 billion barrels of untapped oil. As such, on-shore and off-shore oil prospecting and exploration activities have intensified in recent years. The PPP/C will continue to work with all stakeholders to develop Guyana’s hydrocarbons potential.

We will actively pursue Guyana’s development of its hydropower resources as a priority of the country’s energy policy.  The Low Carbon Development Strategy incorporated the development of the Amaila Falls Hydro-Electric Project as a key strategic component towards ensuring the sustainability of Guyana’s energy supply.  This will be established within the next five years.

The PPP/C will transform Guyana into a country that meets all of its national demand for electric energy from renewable sources by completing the Amaila Falls Hydropower Project

Our Commitments will include:

▪          Completing the construction of the Amaila Falls Hydroelectric Project.

▪          Building additional hydro-electric capacity and export of energy to neighbouring countries.

▪          Promoting the use of solar technologies as well as to make them more affordable and accessible.

▪          Encouraging the importation and installation of solar panels for both residential and commercial use, as well as supporting the implementation of wind farms to supply energy to the national grid and   at the residential and commercial levels for off-grid applications.

▪          Continuing to aggressively pursue opportunities for increased biofuel production (biodiesel and ethanol) for export and local consumption.

▪          Incentivising the use of energy-efficient and renewable appliances.

▪          Ensuring that all remaining unserved areas are provided with electricity.

▪          Continuing the expansion of the Hinterland Electrification Progarm, including the installation of electricity systems in a number of Amerindian communities.

The following inter-alia activities will form part of the Hinterland Electrification Program

▪          The completion of the network expansion at Port Kaituma.

▪          The inspection of the solar system installations in all Regions.

▪          The continuation of on-the-job training for linemen employed by hinterland communities, and the commencement of similar training for diesel generator operators and mechanics.

▪          The installation of a PV-Diesel generation hybrid electricity system for the Kato Secondary School.

▪          The extension of Electricity Systems at Orealla, Siparuta, Moraikobai and St. Cuthbert’s Mission.

▪          The procurement and installation of additional generators for Matthews Ridge, Moraikobai and Siparuta to improve the reliability of their electricity supply.

Environmental Services

The PPP/C vision includes developing new emerging economic sectors by providing environmental services to attract financial resources. Guyana will continue to earn revenue from maintaining its sustainably managed forests which is governed by existing robust legislation. Guyana’s wealth of natural resources is domestically cherished as a part our national patrimony, as a pillar of our economy, and a source of our livelihoods and well-being. It is also internationally recognized , notably for, inter alia, its vast and pristine forest cover, carbon storage capacity, incredible biodiversity, cultural values, mineral resources, freshwater, and importance to the fight against climate change.

The PPP/C has championed the Low Carbon Development Strategy and has embraced the strategy as the means by which Guyana will undergo the transformation into a modern Green Economy; an economy that is characterized by sustained and inclusive prosperity, as well as one in concord with low-carbon, climate-resilient development. The PPP/C recognizes that a Greener Economy in Guyana will require progress across all sectors, and we remain dedicated to leading the transition towards a green economy brand through sustainable, green economic growth and job creation initiatives.

Our Commitments will include:

▪          A Second commitment period of financing with the Kingdom of Norway will be pursued, as well as other financing for avoided deforestation and ecosystem services.

▪          Using funds earned from the sale of forest climate services to support a new suite of projects aimed at: creating new, low carbon jobs for small entrepreneurs, micro-enterprises and hinterland communities;  improving and expanding infrastructure on the coast and hinterland to support climate change adaptation;  and improving early warning systems and forecasting capabilities and emergency response mechanisms; 

▪          Implementing a programme in collaboration with international partners and expertise to improve energy efficiency and install low-carbon technology in key productive sectors aimed at value-adding. Emphasis will be placed on agriculture, forestry and manufacturing.

▪          Expanding the programme on renewable energy to include additional Hydro-projects including micro-hydros; solar and wind energy initiatives with incentives for private investments.

▪          Expanding the Monitoring Reporting and Verification (MRV) System to include Community MRV System and to cover forest carbon and environmental services.

▪          Ensuring Guyana’s world class Protected Area System continue to attract financial resources from international donors.

▪          Promoting a model of Payment for Ecosystem Services using our already established REDD+ mechanism.

Natural Resources Development

Our agenda for the sustainable development of the mining sector acknowledges the country’s rich mineral resources, coupled with the need to respect its forests and wildlife and the rights of the Amerindian communities, balanced with the necessity of encouraging wider economic growth and creating employment opportunities.

We will continue to secure and maintain the natural capital of Guyana by protecting 99.5% of forests while at the same time promoting sustainable utilization for the benefit of all Guyanese. We will ensure the highest level of environmental performance by industries and guarantee a safe and healthy environment for all citizens.

Over the next five years, three new large modern gold mines will be operational which will create hundreds of new jobs, as well as new investments in oil and gas exploration and possibly development.

Our Commitments will include:

Coordination of Natural Resources Use and Management

▪          Establishing a formal mechanism under the auspices of the Office of the President for the implementation of the National Land Use Policy and Plan and the coordination of National Land Use Management. This will include mining, forestry, settlements, agriculture and infrastructure and to address critical issues regarding multiple land uses and co-existence.

▪          Developing and implementing Regional Land Use Plans for all ten (10) regions, including zoning for various activities in towns and other populated areas.

Forestry

▪          Providing incentives to local forest producers to retool their enterprises and to increase efficiency.

▪          Reviewing the performance of forest concessionaires to ensure compliance with forest laws and to prevent land-lording.

▪          Aggressively pushing for value-added in the sector with a tariff system used progressively to reduce the exportation of logs. 

▪          Aggressively promoting the production and utilization of Lesser Used Species.

▪          Promoting the Forest Products and Marketing and Development Council to offer support to producers.

▪          Expanding the Forestry Training Centre range of courses and services and to include on-site training.

Mining

▪          Review of the current Incentives Portfolio for the mining sector will be undertaken with emphasis on small and medium scale mining for gold and diamond mining.

▪          Expanding Bauxite development. We will continue to work with all investors (current and new) to ensure that the Bauxite industry grows and remains sustainable. New areas for exploration will be opened for more investment with attractive incentives.

▪          Developing valued-added initiatives for the minerals sector by exploring the options for a gold refinery and a new bauxite smelting plant.

▪          Reviewing of the current system of allocation of mining blocks with the setting up of a public disclosure and review procedure.

▪          Enhancing transparency and accountability through increased monitoring and enforcement of the sub-sectors and alignment with the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI).

▪          Revising the Codes of Practice and Guidelines for mining with emphasis on better environmental management and adopting mercury-free technology for small and medium scale mining.

▪          Continuing the reform of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission to improve efficiency and transparency in the regulations of the mining sectors.

▪          Encourage more utilization of precious and semi-precious stones.

 

Oil and Gas

▪          Implementing the National Upstream Oil and Gas Policy which is premised on the broad objective of attracting and securing investment in upstream exploration activities, and effectively regulating an upstream oil and gas sector that will contribute to the sustainable economic development of the country.

▪          Facilitating the exploration for and production of petroleum for associated industry development;

▪          Regulating and monitoring petroleum operations to ensure legislative compliance;

▪          Encouraging the application of best practices in petroleum and associated industries operations;

▪          Managing the transfer of technology for maximum benefit to the sector;

▪          Providing the sector with timely and pertinent information so as to contribute to its efficiency and competitiveness;

▪          Sustaining for the heritage of humankind, generally, and Guyanese, in particular, a safe environment around petroleum operations.

▪          Establishing a world-class system for the management of Petroleum revenue through the passage of appropriate legislations.

Well-maintained infrastructure is critical to the stimulation of economic activities, employment, improved lifestyles and modernization. Since 1992, the PPP/C Government has invested heavily and extensively in infrastructure development and maintenance and Guyana’s landscape has changed dramatically. Our infrastructure development serves to address other national objectives such as housing, water and transportation.

Some of Our Immediate Priorities include:

▪          Amaila Falls Hydro Project

▪          Public Transportation: Road Construction and Rehabilitation

▪          Paved Linden- Lethem Road

▪          Georgetown Bypass Road

▪          Air: International, Domestic Aviation

▪          Maritime: Domestic Cargo, Port Development

▪          CJIA Expansion

▪          Deepwater Harbour

▪          Specialty Hospital

▪          Hinterland Development

▪          New Demerara River Bridge

▪          Modern and Accessible ICT

▪          E-Governance

Linden to Lethem Road

Linden-Lethem Road Corridor – Intensify cooperation with the Government of Brazil to ensure a paved Linden-Lethem Road is completed to serve as a critical artery to many hinterland communities and mining areas while providing linkages between the two countries.

Deep Water Harbour

Deep Water Harbour: Continue to pursue the studies necessary for the construction of a deep-water harbour at the mouth of the Berbice River that will make us a marine hub between South America and the Caribbean.

Airport Expansion

Airport Expansion: Continue the upgrade, expansion and modernization of the CIJA through the construction of a new terminal building, aprons, air-bridges, taxiways and the extension of the runway by a further 3500 feet

Our Commitments will include:

▪          Constructing a New Bridge across the Demerara River

▪          Upgrading East Bank Demerara Road Corridor to effectively address severe traffic congestion and road safety issues. The strategy  will involve the completion of the following four complementary projects over the next five years:

•        Construction of a new roadway between Ogle and Mocha, which will connect the East Coast and East Bank of Demerara while bypassing Georgetown;

•        Completion of the four-lane expansion of the East Bank Public Road between Providence and Diamond, which is currently under construction;

▪          Repaving of the roadway and improving road safety between Grove and Timehri.

 

▪          The East Coast Demerara Road Corridor will be improved through:

•        The construction of a four-lane highway from Better Hope to Annandale;

•        Upgrading of the two-lane roadway from Buxton to Belfield;

•        Reconstruction of the problematic steel bridges along the Railway Embankment.

▪          Completing the transformation of Public Transportation for safe, comfortable, affordable and efficient travel throughout Guyana.

•        Training of all bus drivers and conductors in defensive driving, customer service and  how to be tourism ambassadors;

•        Regular and rigorous inspections of buses for road worthiness.

 

▪          Controlling Traffic congestion within Georgetown through a multi-dimensional Sustainable Urban Transport Plan for Georgetown that includes:

•        Rehabilitating of roads in poor condition to offer more route options and better driving conditions;

•        Constructing of sidewalks and overpasses throughout the city to protect pedestrians and reduce conflicts with drivers;

•        Introducing of roundabouts and ‘smarter’ traffic lights to remove gridlock at intersections.

•        Expanding of parking facilities.

 

▪          Accessibility throughout Guyana’s Main Roads network will continue to be improved through:

•        Rehabilitating of the Linden-Soesdyke Highway;

•        Rehabilitating of the West Coast Demerara Public Road, which is already under contract;

•        The rehabilitation of the West Bank Demerara Public Road, and the Canals Number One and Number Two roads, for which the feasibility and design studies are close to completion;

•        Rehabilitating of the East Bank Berbice Public Road, for which the feasibility and design study is close to completion and funding has been secured.

▪          Maintaining of Roads Network will be treated as a high priority issue so that roads are not allowed to deteriorate until considerably more expensive reconstruction is required. The life of our roadways will be extended significantly though the following three activities:

•        Routine maintenance – fixing minor problems in the road surface before they become significant;

•        Recycling – using a deteriorated surface to create a new one, before layers below are exposed;

•        Weight control – ensuring that trucks are not overloaded.

▪          Routine maintenance will be administered by awarding multi-year contracts for fairly large zones, which will: create an incentive for repairs to be carried out correctly the first time; encourage the purchase of efficient equipment; and allow staff to become specialized and develop localized knowledge of maintenance issues.

▪          Improving Maritime Services for passenger and cargo ferry services to Bartica, Essequibo Islands and the North West Districts.

▪          Improving Aviation Services for the domestic industry by rehabilitating airstrips and improving security systems.

 

▪          Introducing New ferry service from Georgetown to the Northwest Districts to reduce the travel distance/time by half.

▪          Encouraging the development of a river taxi along the East Coast Corridor.

National Drainage and Irrigation

Our Commitments will include:

▪          Continuing to expand the drainage and irrigation systems.

▪          Installing more pumps.

▪          Enhancing maintenance of drainage and irrigation systems.

▪          Involving farmers in the maintenance of the National Drainage and Irrigation System.

▪          Establishing a specialized unit in the Nation Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) to improve the drainage system in Georgetown.

▪          Improving the capacity of all main canal and drains and the linking drains around the country. 

Information and Communication Technology

We recognize that ICT is a genuine vehicle for the transformation of our society that can fuel social and economic growth.

We will further liberalize the ICT sector to promote development for more reliable services by private and government investments.

Our Commitments include:

▪          Increasing the penetration and usage of broadband across the country, with broadband access in every administrative region.

▪          Promoting E-Governance and utilizing social media for participative governance and effective public grievance redress mechanism.

▪          Expanding opportunities for ICT based jobs in rural and semi-urban areas.

▪          Making technology enabled products affordable for students.

▪          Using e-books within the school system.

▪          Making all educational institutions and schools Wi-Fi enabled in a phased manner. Digital learning and training to be used extensively.

▪          Establishing an IT Centre of Excellence in partnership with the Government of India.

▪          Establishing mini-ICT parks across the country.

▪          Working with CARICOM partners to improve the ICT curriculum in CXC in order to make our youths competitive in the international arena.

▪          Implementing teleconferencing facilities between University of Guyana Turkeyen and Tain campuses; allowing for remote access to lectures by students in Berbice as well as Georgetown.

▪          Utilizing ICT to better distribute educational materials directly to students’ communities and homes.

▪          Utilizing ICT to allow for Computer Aided Learning (CAL). Like educational materials, the CAL will be available after hours and accessible in students’ homes.

▪          Introducing telecom legislation to allow for e-commerce and data protection. A legislation that will set standards to allow our citizens to benefit from the advantages of ICT while minimizing the risks.

▪          Increasing collaboration with telecom industry to spur growth. This will include sharing E-Government infrastructure, technical skills and financial environment to improve the ease of doing business.

▪          Moving from analog to digital broadcasting for television transmission.

E-Governance

In the next 5 years we will:

▪          Nurture a Digital Guyana – making every household and every individual digitally empowered.

▪          Make it possible for information and services to reach all citizens, even in remote areas.

▪          Implement a national E-Health system, allowing doctors to have quick access to patients’ medical records which will play a significant part in improving the quality of healthcare. Tele-health, remote assistance, etc. will all be part of this new system.

▪          Utilize ICT in traffic control and reducing road accidents. With the increasing number of CCTV cameras monitoring our roadways, speed traps will be setup; allowing the systems to immediately identify speeding vehicles, dangerous driving and accidents. It will also allow the police to more effectively manage traffic flow and will play a significant part in reducing traffic accidents in Guyana.

▪          Use remote sensing to monitor possible dangerous situations caused by inclement weather patterns that exist due to global warming. Heavy rainfall in interior locations that can cause flooding on the coast will be more readily identified, allowing for our citizens to be better protected.

▪          Utilize ICT to improve communication between government agencies thereby lowering transaction times. This will significantly improve government’s responsiveness to the needs of the citizens.

The People’s Progressive Party/Civic is building a country in which no one should feel left-out from development. We want to give a good life to all citizens so that they can live with dignity and security. As such, we aim to address the needs and meet the expectations of all our people with particular concern for our children, women, indigenous people, single parents and the vulnerable. We believe that all Guyanese must be free to make choices and must not be discriminated against because of their ethnicity, gender, religion or sexual orientation.

 

We will ensure that every group is able to grow and achieve their full potential, but at the same time we pledge support for and protection to those most vulnerable and in need, as part of our Vision: Guyana Version 2.0 in building a compassionate and caring society.

Social Sectors

We have always stood for a caring society and believes that the State must provide for and protect every group of citizens in our society.

Equal Access to Education

We believe strongly that educating the population is the one sure way to bring about and sustain positive changes. We believe that a good education system should be dedicated to ensuring that all citizens of Guyana, regardless of age, race or creed, physical or mental disability, or socio-economic status, are given equal opportunities to achieve their full potential through equal access to quality education as defined by international standards and norms.

Good quality education helps the nation’s citizens to develop the necessary knowledge, skills and values to lead happy and productive lives, learning formally to love their country and the diversity of the people who live therein, adhering to the ideals and practices of democracy, justice, peace, diversity, accountability.

We have attained Universal Primary Education and increased, greatly, the percentage of trained teachers. We have by far increased the number of children passing at the grade six level and more than doubled the number of children enrolling in secondary schools and writing the CXC exams.

Over the next five years the PPP/C government will implement a five-year strategic plan/plan of action for the Education Sector. The plan is focused on increasing the learning outcomes between sub-groups and decreasing the differences in learning outcomes between sub groups.

The initiatives to be pursued under the Education Strategic Plan (ESP) are to achieve six intermediate outcomes. Progress on these outcomes is expected to translate into improved learning outcomes for all sub groups.

Our implementation of the plan over the next five years will result in: 

▪          Significant improvements in the performance of government departments responsible for implementing the Education Sector Plan.

▪          The establishment and effective functioning of an accountability system that creates incentives to improve student learning outcomes.

▪          Improvements in the quality of school facilities

▪          Improvements in the quality of teaching

▪          Qualitative improvements of the curricula, the availability of teaching and learning materials and the alignment of materials and the curricula of training programmes with the revised curricula.

▪          Increasing of instructional time.

Our Commitments will include:

▪       Ensuring  Universal Access across levels:

▪          Having attained the status of Universal Primary Education where all our children can go to a primary school, we shall attain Universal Nursery and Universal Secondary education.

▪       Increasing the number of Trained teachers:

•        We will implement the first ever professional standards for teachers, defining the roles and responsibilities of professional teachers.

▪       Implementing an enhanced Early Childhood Education Program:

•        Guyana enjoys a high enrollment rate in nursery schools with more than 85 per cent of children of the relevant age (the highest proportion in the Commonwealth Caribbean) being enrolled in schools.  An aggressive Early Childhood Education Programme that was piloted over the last two years will be rolled out nationally with a view to preparing more of our children in a more excellent manner for primary and subsequently secondary education.

▪       Providing more for our children with Special Education Needs(SEN)

▪          We shall implement an early screening and diagnostic programme that is easily accessible, provide greater training for teachers in the area of SEN with opportunities to specialize that would enable both stand-alone and integrated SEN environments in school,provide a range of para-professional services so aides can work along with teachers where necessary to address the needs of the pupils with specific deficiencies, incentivize and resource SEN environments so that they are more attractive and productive.

▪       Enacting modern Education Legislation.

•        Within this new term we shall repeal the Education Act, which is now more than a hundred years old and pass a new Education Act, the first whole Education Law since Guyana gained independence. 

▪       Reorganizing and re-tooling the National Accreditation Council.

•        Understanding the importance to our population and possible benefits to our economy of having internationally recognized and high standards in and of post-secondary educational institutions, the National Accreditation Council will be re-organized and re-equipped and REGULATIONS under the National Accreditation Council Act shall be published so as to allow for, inter alia, universal knowledge of information and processes and to streamline actions taken under the Act.

▪       Incorporating and integrating ICT in the classroom

•        We will aim to outfit every secondary school, each having already been equipped with computer labs, with SMART, interactive classrooms which are technology enhanced classrooms that foster opportunities for teaching and learning by integrating learning technology, such as computers, specialized software, audience response technology, assistive listening devices, networking, and audio/visual capabilities to enhance teaching and learning and to further integrate technology into the learning process.

•        Additionally, we will strive to equip our primary schools with computer laboratories.

▪       Establishing world class standards at the University of Guyana.

•        By executing contracts already entered into and utilizing resources unique to Guyana, we shall make the university attractive not only to Guyanese, but our international community as well.

•        We will continue to work with the University of Guyana’s Council to expand and improve the quality of education offered at its Berbice and Turkeyen Campuses. The PPP/C will work towards providing university level education to the residents of the Essequibo coast through the provision of extra mural classes on the coast with a view to establishing a university campus or provide online facilities.

•        We will expand online programmes especially for those in the rural and interior regions

•        Build a new and modern library for the University

•        Offer special incentives to research that is beneficial to the country especially in the areas of science, technology, forestry and mining.

▪       Providing more opportunities for Training and Scholarships

•        We shall work with our partners in the international community and our friends in the Diaspora, as well as with corporate Guyana to allow for our young people to be able to benefit from a wider variety of training and scholarship opportunities.

▪       Enhance opportunities in Technical Vocational Education

•        Having established the rudimentary structures to facilitate solid output in technical vocational education, investment will be made in this field to, inter alia, achieve a parallel assessment/certification pathway that removes the pressure of CSEC from those who opt for this channel, achieve greater streamlining of the offerings at the Secondary and Post-secondary levels in all of the Technical areas, create the environment for direct and seamless linkage to the University of Guyana as a defined pathway, allow for acceleration of our approval to offer Caribbean Vocational Qualifications (CVQs) in Guyana, and to operationalize the centers to assess and certify individuals based on their prior skills and knowledge.

▪       Establishing Centres of Excellence

•        We shall establish Centres of Excellence for STEM (science, technology, engineering and math), the arts and modern languages so that our students and the nation can benefit from their products.

▪       Continue to support families through facilities such as transportation grants, etc.

 

▪          Improve on the Language Programmes in schools, particularly for Portuguese and Spanish

▪          Expand the School Guidance and Counsellors Programme.

 

▪          Implement programmes to mitigate dropouts and enhance retention at senior levels of secondary schools.

 

▪          Foster and facilitate a more structured relationship between the Private Sector and Tertiary Institutions to ensure students are provided with adequate access to both practical training and employment opportunities. 

▪          Establish a National Advisory Council on Education. The new Council will have the purpose of advising on matters relating to education. This council will be broad-based in its representation.

Health Sector – Long and Productive Lives

The PPP/C promotes the concept that the highest attainable standard of health and the highest quality of life are among the most important fundamental rights of citizens regardless of race, religion, political belief and economic or social condition. Our health agenda is in response to the health and development needs of our people, everywhere. We believe that promoting and protecting health are essential to sustained economic and social development and attainment of the highest quality of life.

Access to Health Care

Our Health Agenda includes:

▪          Completing the Specialty Hospital for advanced health care services for Guyanese and International patients.

▪          Expanding services such as Neurosurgery, Renal Health (including dialysis and kidney transplant), Electroconvulsive Therapy (ETC), and Diabetic Retinopathy Services.

▪          Constructing a new 100-bed ward at the East Bank Demerara Regional Hospital and a new Port Kaituma Hospital.

▪          Expanding doctor-provided home-based care across Guyana.

▪          Expanding the health fund to support persons who need to pay for health care.

▪          Introducing Patient and Family Counselling, particularly grief counselling, in all hospitals.

▪          Constructing new polyclinics with x-ray, laboratories, and dental and eye services in different regions.

▪          Establishing an Ambulance Authority, with trained Paramedics.

▪          Upgrading Bartica, Mabaruma, Mahdia and Lethem Hospitals into Regional Hospitals. 

▪          Creating a special Women’s Health Programme and a Care of the Elderly Programme.

▪          Establishing Skeldon, Lethem and Mabaruma Hospitals as Border Hospitals with border countries.

▪          Providing support for pregnant women and their children.

▪          Expanding substance abuse rehabilitation programmes across Guyana.

▪          Completing the building of the new $250M Maternity Building at the GPHC by 2016

▪          Ensuring every hospital is equipped with x-rays, ECG and ultrasound machines.

▪          Maintaining 100% coverage for immunization, with HPV vaccine for all young girls and boys.

▪          Improving laboratories for all hospitals

▪          Expanding physiotherapy and rehabilitation departments in all hospitals

▪          Building computerized health (patient) information throughout the hospital system

▪          Ensuring adequate provision of medicine and medical supplies

▪          Expanding and improving biomedical waste facilities in all hospitals

▪          Establishing a mobile blood bank to make blood donation easier

▪          Establishing a Burns Clinic at the Linden and New Amsterdam Hospitals

▪          Replacing the West Demerara and the National Psychiatric Hospital with new hospitals

Improved Accountability within the Health Sector:

▪          Service contracts will be signed with all public health institutions setting standards, goals and targets. Management must account for failure to meet targets

▪          Each Institution will provide performance reports and patient targets to a specialized group of inspectors. An annual report will be prepared for Cabinet perusal

▪          Each hospital and health centre will hold annual community meetings reporting to the community on their performance and receiving community feedback

▪          E-Engagement – an electronic method to involve the community with clarifications, questions, complaints will be introduced.

Expand the Human Resource Development Program:

▪          Sustaining new nursing students entry at no less than 250 per year

▪          Working with the UG Medical School to maintain new class size at greater than 50 per year

▪          Continuing to build the School of Dentistry for new class size of greater than 10 per year

▪          Consolidating post-graduate specialist training for doctors and nurses

▪          Implementing or strengthen local training programmes for Emergency Medical technicians, optometry, physiotherapy, speech therapy, podiatry, ultrasound technologists, audiology technologists

▪          Expanding training of support staff such as medex, ultrasound and biomedical technicians

▪          Providing vehicle duty free concession for key health personnel

▪          Facilitating home ownership programme for health care providers.

Making Health Services more People Focused and User Friendly:

▪          We will reduce waiting time in our Accident and Emergency and Specialist Clinics

▪          Ensure that all medicines in the National Formulary are available on time

▪          Introduce the Charter of Patients’ Rights

▪          Reduce referrals to GPHC of pregnancy cases (by 80%) and non-pregnancy cases (by 50%) by improving OB/GYN professional staff (doctors and nurses) at Regional Institutions 

▪          Formalize the unique identifier-based health card for all citizens

▪          Roll out the Patient Advocate to support patients in hospitals and to ensure patient’s rights are enforced

▪          Establish a Patients’ Welfare Committee to investigate complaints and respond within 60 days

▪          Strengthen the Disability, Cancer and Chronic Disease Registers

▪          Establish a new men’s health and Geriatric health Unit at the MOH.

Continue to expand and refine its programme to reduce the impact of cardiac disease on the at-risk population by:

▪       Introducing early screening and aggressive education aimed at primary prevention

▪          Reducing the cost and increasing the access to secondary and advanced cardiac treatment

▪          Facilitating appropriate treatment in a timely manner

▪          Engaging local and external expertise to develop specific guidelines for the management of heart disease in Guyana.

Respond to the Chronic Disease Pandemic:

▪          Similar to HIV, we will embark on a massive public education and awareness programme

▪          We will promote healthy public policies on issues such as workplace wellness, smoking cessation, healthy foods, road safety and violence and injury prevention

▪          We will update Standards for Diagnosis and Treatment of Diabetes, Hypertension and other NCDs

▪          We will integrate diagnosis and treatment for neuro-psychiatric disorders at all levels of care

▪          We will operate specialist clinics for the NCDs at all Regional Hospitals.

Health Targets will make Guyana a Leader in the Caribbean. Among the targets are:

▪          Life Expectancy greater than 75 years by 2025

▪          Meeting all the health indicators under the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

▪          Maternal mortality less than 75 per 10,000 and child mortality less than 15 per 1,000 by 2020

▪          All school children will be screened for sight, hearing and speech and other disabilities

▪          HIV prevalence to less than 0.8%, number of HIV pregnant women less than 100 and HIV+ new-born babies less than 2 per year

▪          Less than 200 cases of TB per year and less than 50 TB deaths per year

▪          Less than 5,000 cases of malaria per year

▪          Reduce suicide by 25%

▪          Increased Voluntary Blood Donation to more than 15,000 Units per year by 2020.

Access to Affordable Housing

The PPP/C is particularly proud of its housing drive. Thousands of Guyanese now own their own homes. The PPP/C government will continue its housing initiative and will look at enhancing the availability of housing to all Guyanese. The PPP/C will work with the public sector to provide incentives to companies and organizations that assist their staff and affiliates to acquire housing through the government housing’s programme.

The vision of the PPP/C continues to provide access to all Guyanese to own their homes in safe and sustainable communities, with all the amenities and facilities that are consistent with life in a modern society, reducing poverty and improving the quality of life of all Guyanese.

The PPP/C Government will further advance the gains in the Housing Sector and Sub-Sectors for the 2015 – 2020 period through:

▪          Implementing a National Housing Policy that promotes Sustainable Housing Development;

▪          Creating new settlement areas while accelerating the granting of Certificates of Title to Land to address excess demand for housing;

▪          Outfitting new and existing schemes outside of the urban centres with modern social infrastructure to hasten the achievement of the national priorities in keeping with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

▪          Implementing community development plans in existing communities that would contribute to environmental sustainability;

▪          Facilitating the construction of Turn Key (1000 homes) for persons of low affordability and persons with special needs to improve accessing housing;

▪          Expanding the Young Professional Schemes to encourage skilled Guyanese to remain and invest at home;

▪          Accelerating the development of the Re-migrant scheme to attract the ‘Brain Bank’ in the diaspora; 

▪          Upgrading roads, water distribution and drainage and electricity networks in all existing housing areas;

▪          Completing the regularization of squatter settlements and the upgrade of infrastructure in those settlements;

▪          Expanding partnerships with the private, financial and commercial sub-sectors  to stabilize the housing market;

▪          Improving the efficiency of the housing delivery process through institutional strengthening.

▪          Establishing a ‘revolving fund’ to allow low-income groups to access concessional funds more readily

▪          Expanding housing in the hinterland.

Within the context of Climate Change and the Low Carbon Development Strategy, and as part of a broader vision, emphasis will be placed on complementary activities such as:

▪       Creating a new sustainable urban community on the Soesdyke/Linden Highway, which will include residential households as well as retail, industrial, tourism, social and recreation facilities;

▪       Developing two sites zoned for recreational and leisure activities south of the Georgetown Seawall;

▪       Completing road corridors to enhance the road transport network system in Guyana – consistent with the Greater Georgetown Development Plan;

▪       Creating industrial and commercial zones within new and existing settlement areas that would serve as growth poles and provide employment opportunities in line with the concept of Townization;

▪       Completing development plans for all urban areas, including secondary towns.

▪       Creating homesteads to target low-income households in Regions 2, 5, 6 and 10 to address challenges such as poverty, food-security and unemployment.

 

Access to Water

▪          The PPP/C will strategically continue to improve the water services of each region: Completion of two new and environmentally friendly Water Treatment Plants (WTPs) in Linden (one in Amelia’s Ward and the second in Wisroc) along with the installation of transmission mains and upgrade of distribution systems. These interventions will significantly improve the quality of water and level of service to the entire population in Linden.

▪          Commence the construction of three new WTPs (Sheet Anchor- Region 6, Diamond- Region 4 and Uitvlugt- Region 3) and upgrade the Shelterbelt WTP.

▪          Complete projects for the increase in coverage in Angoy’s Avenue- Region 6, Little Biaboo- Region 5, Esau/Jacob- Region 5, and Parika Backdam- Region 3.

▪          Complete and activate wells at Providence, Eccles (EBD), Uitvlugt (WCD), and Hope (ECD) so as to provide and improve the service for customers in these areas.

▪          Reduce Non-Revenue Water to 35% by 2020.

▪          Increase in treated water coverage from 50% to 75% within the next five (5) years.

▪          Undertake a study on the performance of the aquifer and sustainability of the underground water resources.

▪          Examine the use of alternative sources of energy in water supply, production and treatment.

▪          Continue with the implementation of the Energy Efficiency Project which is already resulting in the reduction of energy consumption in operations.

▪           Create the institutional mechanisms to rationalize the country’s water resources through an Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) framework over the next five years. Thereafter, the IWRM will be fully operationalized.

▪          Improve sanitation services through the construction of a new Waste WTP.

▪          Expand the treated water coverage in Georgetown.

Children

Early Childhood Development

▪          Enact regulations to bring in the Child Care and Development Services Act so as to better regulate the care for children in childcare facilities.

▪          Ensure compliance with the Licencing and Registration process for childcare facilities in Guyana.

▪          Establish a multi-sectoral interagency (Health, Education, National Commission on Disabilities, Child Care and Protection Agency) that monitors the implementation of the early childhood development programme.

▪           Expand early screening and assessment for children to correct early childhood developmental issues in all nursery and primary schools.

Child Protection

▪          Enhance the capacity of the Child Care and Protection Agency (CCPA) with more resources to cover all 10 Administrative Regions.

▪          Offer specialized training for staff to address the challenges and multiplicity of challenges it faces addressing social issues and child victims.

▪          Develop better systems of tracking and monitoring the reports and cases to ensure that they are addressed in a timely manner and emergency action can be taken to protect children.

▪          Better coordinate the CCPA, the GPF and the DPP to ensure that children’s cases are given priority and are addressed in a timely manner, especially in cases of sexual violence.

▪          Expedite the operationalizing of the Family Court.

▪          Development of a Comprehensive Child Protection System through effective Inter-Agency and inter-professional collaboration, including the forging of partnerships with (Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), Community Based Organizations (CBOs) and Faith-based Organizations (FBOs) and the involvement of families in child protection.

•        Promote non-violent forms of disciplining of children in the home and in wider society through anger management programmes.

•        Strengthen the Labour inspectorate and the School Welfare Unit to ensure that all children are in school and there is no child labour.

•        Amend the Education Act and the labour laws to raise the age of compulsory education to 16 and concomitantly for employment to 16.

•        Enact the Juvenile Justice Bill 

Foster Care and Adoption

▪          Deinstitutionalize children in institutional care wheresoever possible through the promotion of family based care and more support services for dysfunctional families.

▪          Promote foster care as the only alternative care option for children three (3) years and under.

▪          Promote the advantages of fostering in the wider society in order to increase the numbers of available foster families.

▪       Assist those children in foster care and residential institutions who have reached 17 years of age in exiting these programmes and being able to access training of other programmes so they can be fully integrated into society.

▪       Extend adoption services to provide specialized pre and post adoption counselling services for children and families.

 

Women

▪          Focus on the economic empowerment of women in all regions through incentives and programmes to access microfinance programmes in the commercial banking system.

▪          Encourage women to establish micro and small businesses through support from the Small Business Council with appropriate training and mentoring.

▪          Encourage and assist in the establishment of day care centres for working women at affordable costs.

▪          Encourage women and educate female students on new careers and self-employment opportunities which are available to them.

▪          Encourage the establishment of more “Safe Homes” for Abused Women and children in unserved regions which will provide accommodation, health and counselling services, and skills training facilities.

▪          Strengthen capacity of the relevant agencies (MLHSSS, DPP, GPF, Family Court etc.) to implement the modern and relatively new legislation in place regarding women and children in a timely and efficient way.

▪          Expand access to Legal Aid Services across Guyana.

▪          Strengthen prosecutorial and judicial capacities to act in a timely manner and attain greater conviction rates for sexual offences.

▪          Review laws that relate to women and to strengthen legislation and policies where necessary in order to further promote women’s rights and gender equality.

▪          Provide more skilled human, technical financial resources to address the implementation of the National Plan of Action on Sexual and Domestic Violence.

▪          Develop effective complaints mechanism in the Ministry of Labour, Human Services and Social Security, the Women and Gender Equality Commission, and the private sector to prevent and address allegations of discrimination against women.

▪          Implement more effective programmes and interventions for the prevention of gender based violence:

•        Involve FBOs and Community based organizations in playing a more active role in condemning domestic and sexual violence

•         Initiate Community Counselling Centres to provide support for the eradication of family violence and other types of violence as well as other social ills

•        Work with young people to break the cycle of violence

•        Work with communities to educate against violence.

•        Organize enhanced and regular training and oversight of the police with regards to handling of cases

▪          Increase the presence of women in leadership and governance in public institutions and encourage their elevation to leadership positions in the business community and the labour movement.

Teenage Pregnancy

1)      Full implementation of Health and Family Life Education in the secondary schools to equip adolescents  with knowledge and skills to make more informed choices about their health and wellness, inclusive of their sexual well-being and to reduce teenage pregnancy;

2)      Introduce “second chance” programmes in the educational system aimed at re-integrating teenage mothers into the school system to complete their education, and or to access technical and vocational skills.

3)      Introduce referral programmes between MOED and MLHSSS for and counselling services targeted at expectant teenage mothers.

4)      More  training and retraining of teachers, health providers, parents and civil society groups to ensure that teenage mothers are not discriminated against;

5)      Collaborate with CARICOM and United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) through the Integrated Strategic Framework for the reduction of adolescent pregnancy in the Caribbean.

Men and Boys

▪          Expand the outreach capacity of the Men’s Affairs Bureau through increased financial and human resources and capacity building of staff.

▪          Develop specialized programmes in the educational sector to address the number of male absenteeism and drop outs and to develop pro-active remedial programmes for their return to the educational system.

▪          Develop positive programmes to promote responsible fatherhood and partners with civil society and community based organizations.

▪          Make special interventions to address interpersonal violence among  young men in society

▪          Develop anger management and non-violent communication programmes and counseling services for young males exhibiting early violent tendencies.

▪          Create a Men’s Health Unit (MHU) in the Ministry of Health. Initiate a National Conversation on Men’s Health. Promote Health Seeking Behaviours amongmen. Identify a more robustinvolvementof men in Health and Wellness Activities.

▪       Develop programmes to encourage males not to neglect their children and become good role models.

 

 

 

Homeless

▪          Rehabilitating, where necessary, street dwellers by providing them with shelter, counselling, and skills training opportunities.

Care and Support for the Elderly

▪          Encouraging private/FBOs to establish elderly assisted homes for senior citizens in coastal regions.

▪          Developing a visiting home care programme for those who are elderly and ill through collaboration with the Ministry of Health (MoH) Nursing Services and the Ministry of Labour, Human Services and Social Security (MoLHSSS).

▪          Rebuilding the Palms as a modern residential medical facility for the care of the infirm and indigent elderly.

▪          Increasing incrementally the monthly benefits available to old age pensioners within available resources.

▪          Developing and enact Laws for the protection and provision of services for the elderly through a countrywide consultation with the relevant stakeholders.

▪           Develop a sensitive approach in the health services at all levels to the elderly and disabled.

Single Parents

▪          Reviewing and expanding the Single Parent Assistance Programme to reach women across Guyana and coordinate and link with the Women of Worth microcredit window.

▪          Providing support to working single parents towards daycare services.

▪          Enforcing that financial support to children, made mandatory by the Courts, is paid by absentee fathers.

Trafficking in Persons (TIP)

▪          Make more proactive and results oriented the work of the Ministerial Task Force on TIP

▪          Effectively implement Laws for Trafficking in Persons

▪          Strengthen enforcement activities against suspected TIP activities

▪          Expand education and awareness programmes on TIP that will improve on enforcement.

▪          Strengthen the capacities of the Law Enforcement Agencies to deal with TIP cases.

Sports

In recent years, considerable progress has been made in creating sporting opportunities for young people and on building the sporting infrastructure to develop skills training.  Notable infrastructure projects include the Guyana National Stadium at Providence, the National Aquatic Centre in Turkeyen and the National Track and Field Centre, West Coast Demerara.  Now that the infrastructure is in place, the PPP/C will continue to empower youths and athletes. 

Our Commitments will include:

▪          Continuing to provide equitable sporting opportunities across Guyana;

▪          Ensuring quality physical education and sport experiences be available to every school child in Guyana;

▪          Improving on sports in schools through targeted programmes, infrastructure development and management of facilities.

▪          Guaranteeing Guyanese citizens have an enhanced quality of life through their life-long engagement in quality sport opportunities;

▪          Working with decision makers and community leaders to promote sports for the positive contribution it makes to the life and health in the community and country;

▪          Implementing over the next five years, a Long-term Athlete Development Principles by sport organizations, clubs and community groups, as part of their strategic sport development plans;

▪          Assuring that the economic benefits of sport to Guyana are optimized by promoting Sport Tourism through more International Tournaments;

▪          Maintaining and increasing the number of qualified and dedicated base of coaches, officials and sport volunteers that can nurture and grow the Guyana sport system by establishing inter alia a Coaches’ Accreditation Council;

▪          Increasing the number of professional coaches working in Guyana, by establishing the Guyana Sports Institute;

▪       Ensuring that all citizens have affordable access to well-maintained, equipped and resourced community and school facilities;

▪          Developing three (3) New Regional Multi-Purpose Facilities in Berbice, Essequibo and Linden.

Support for Youth Development Initiatives will include:

▪          Special support arrangements, to be explored for young married couples.

▪          A cadet programme to encourage public service among young professionals.

▪          Providing targeted training using technical institutes and secondary schools so as to meet the skills needs of specific Regions and communities.

▪          Developing training and employment partnerships with private businesses and public enterprises.

▪          Targeting skills-development for emerging sectors – tourism, information technology, hospitality and services, new manufacturing, etc.

▪          Developing bridging employment programmes for secondary school leavers.

▪          Providing on-the-job experience through internships and apprenticeships.

▪          Employment and Career Centres.

▪          On-line vocational courses for working people.

▪          Enhancing the Central Recruitment and Manpower Agency (CRMA) network to play a more robust role in matching skills required by employers with skills available in the labour force.

▪          We will continue through the Board of Industrial Training (BIT), to train at an average about 3,000 young persons annually in areas like Heavy Duty Equipment Operators, Mechanics, Block Makers, Masonry and other trades related to the construction industry.

▪          We will also continue our single parent training programme in areas such as garment manufacturing, cosmetology, and catering. As have done in the past, we will continue to offer financial assistance to those young trainees who wish to become entrepreneurs.

Treasuring and Enhancing Our Culture

Culture and the Arts are vital to a modern society and its economy. Promoting societal well-being means sustaining the community institutions that we most cherish, and protecting those areas of our public life that embody the common good.

The PPP/C has always emphasized the value of culture and national heritage as foundations for national transformation and development.

We will maximally utilize culture and national heritage to facilitate the transformation of Guyana into a prosperous and middle income country in which all Guyanese can enjoy a high quality life, in line with our national developmental goals.

Our Plans will include:

▪          Implementing cultural development as a national priority objective by improving existing cultural legislation and highlighting the nation’s cultural resources;

▪          Supporting folk and amateur arts in all 10 Administrative Regions of Guyana, through festivals, performances and competitions;

▪          Strengthening the capacity of artistes and arts organizations;

▪          Supporting the preservation of existing cultural institutions including libraries, museums, galleries, archives, theatres and publishing houses;

▪          Supporting the establishment of artistic, heritage, cultural and historic centres across the country.

▪       Establishing a unified information system including an inventory of cultural heritage, mapping of cultural resources and analytical research materials;

▪          Establishing a National Heritage Foundation;

▪          Establish an Act  for the preservation of monuments, sites, places, and objects of historic or prehistoric interest and or national importance;

▪          Establishing a National Cultural Commission.

Enhanced Policy Framework

To effectively realize its Mandate, the Government will formulate the following policies:

▪          Culture and Heritage Policy: to energize the sector for the better creation of opportunities and the generation of wealth

▪          Music Policy: to regulate the music industry and combat piracy and protect young musicians

▪          Museums Policy: to regulate and conserve Guyana heritage for posterity

▪          National Information Policy: to provide clear guidelines on access to information both in electronic and print formats, and ensure preservation of documentary heritage

▪          Records Management Policy: to standardize records management in the public sector.

▪          National Policy: to regulate and conserve Guyana heritage (Dance, Art, Music, Archives, Theatre, Entertainment, Intellectual Property, Intangible Heritage, Publication, Literary, Oral) for posterity

▪          Creative Industry Policy: to provide guidelines for the nurturing of the sub-sectors.

Workers’ Welfare

Successive PPP/C administrations since 1992 have been able to restore labour rights to workers. We have ratified International Labour Organization (ILO) conventions, including all concerning workers’rights and collective bargaining. We are one of the few countries in the world to have signed on to the ILO’s Decent Work Country Programme and to have ratified ILO Convention #189 concerning Domestic Workers. We have also introduced a National Minimum Wage and a forty-hour work week.

▪          The PPP/C will continue to strengthen legislation to promote an effective process of Collective Bargaining.  We will introduce legislation to facilitate the establishment of an Industrial Tribunal or Industrial Court that will provide another layer of protection for distressed workers

▪          We will work dedicatedly and actively in eliminating Child Labour from our society. The introduction of compulsory Secondary Education will assist greatly in this regard.

▪          Through these interventions every Guyanese worker is now protected under law. No worker can be arbitrarily dismissed without recourse to the law.

Having given workers complete protection, a new PPP/C Government will ensure that those laws are rigidly enforced and will introduce several regulations to give effectiveness to the Occupational Safety and Health Act. Notably, we will introduce regulations under the Act concerning workers employed in the construction, mining and quarrying industries. We also, in consultation with the tripartite body, will continue to raise the National Minimum Wage and other Sectoral Minimum Wages.

Equal Access to Work

▪          The PPP/C recognizes that employers are free to employ the skills needed to maximize their production, but their employment practices will be scrutinized to ensure non-discrimination.

▪          Companies found guilty of unfair and biased recruitment practices will be sanctioned. We will establish a complaints desk to investigate such offences.

▪          The PPP/C will examine special incentives for companies that establish businesses in nontraditional commercial communities and will partner with them to develop the skill base of communities to meet the needs of the company.

▪          The PPP/C will examine ways to provide incentives to employers who create employment for the differently-abled.

We have always been committed to the development of the Amerindian People for the improvement of their well‐being and prosperity. Over the next five years, the PPP/C will continue to enhance the quality of life of the Amerindians through the following commitments:

Economic Well‐being of Amerindians and their Communities

▪          Ensuring that village economic transformation is supported so as to advance village economies into sustainable economic systems via full implementation of the GRIF ‐ ADF Community Development and creation of value added through agricultural, eco‐tourism, processing and support for community sustainable projects in the extractive sectors.

▪          Supporting the upgrading and improvements in economic infrastructure such as energy and water facilities, and improving and increasing air infrastructure and roads, and mobile banking and credit systems with full emphasis on processing and marketing.

o        Building capacity in Agriculture extension and introduction of newer techniques

o        Expanding processing facilities to increase the production of Cashew nuts, peanut butter  farine and cassava by products

o        Establishing processing facilities targeting the production of  mango and citrus juice

o        Provideing support  for the production of ground coffee, ginger and cocoa processing 

o        Supporting initiatives for aquaculture

o        Supporting cattle and livestock rearing

o        Providing modern production equipment to support processing initiatives

o        Constructing/reopening airstrips at Parabara, Karisparu, Kaibarupai, Wayaleng and Arau, Paramakatoi (extension), and Nappi

o        Extending and improving the road network in regions 1,  7, 8 & 9

o        Continuing the road improvement works in Matarkai, Mabaruma, Moruca, and in North, Central and South Rupununi

o        Road Network: Moraikobai – Linden, Waramadong to Kamarang, Chenapau to Paramakatoi (PK), Maikwak to PK, Waipa to PK, Kaibarupai to PK, Kamana to Kanapang, Karisparu to PK and, Chenapau to Meriwau/Madhia, Parabara to Konashen, and Tiger Pond to Paipang /Taushida, Maikwak to Paramakatoi.

Land Titling

▪          Completing the ongoing Land Titling and Demarcation Project to provide land tenure security for Amerindians and process land extension requests.

▪          Regularizing and securing homestead leases for Amerindians settled in areas other than titled villages along the coastal areas.

Culture and Diversity

▪          Enriching Amerindian life through the establishment of language development programmes, cultural expositions, literature preservation and strengthening village/regional cultural groups in the hinterland regions.

▪          Sustaining the special projects that seek to revive indigenous languages.

▪          Supporting the promotion and marketing of indigenous art and craft.

▪          Providing resources to ensure cultural revival, production and sustainability of indigenous art forms.

▪          Constructing sports facilities at several villages.

Education

▪          Providing better and increased access to higher institutions of learning by increasing the number of secondary schools and dormitories, upgrading primary and secondary educational facilities and delivering and facilitating access to tertiary education with emphasis on agriculture and ICT Education and Technical and skills training.

▪          Establishing support systems for technical and tertiary level Amerindian and hinterland students’ access to higher learning institutions by providing cheaper urban accommodation facilities and expanded opportunities for online university education.

▪          Expanding technical training programmes to hinterland regions.

▪          Constructing technical institutes in Regions 1 & 9.

▪          Introducing scholarship support for online university education for indigenous students.

▪          Increasing scholarships for hinterland students pursuing agriculture, forest and mining studies.

Youth Development and Women Empowerment

▪          Strengthening of the Youth Entrepreneurship and Apprenticeship Programme to address the opportunity gaps among hinterland youths and addressing gender disparities.

▪          Supporting and strengthening of sports and youth groups, while providing sports scholarships for talented hinterland and Amerindian athletes.

▪          Strengthening capacities of vulnerable groups of Amerindian women through leadership and management workshops to allow for enhanced empowerment and fuller participation in the social, economic, cultural and political development of their villages and the country.

o        Training in processing & marketing, management & leadership and information technology (computer literacy).

o        Providing special credit support for small indigenous women and youth entrepreneurs.

Health Care

▪          Improving primary health care at the village level through better equipped health facilities and increased capacities among village health care workers to deliver basic primary health care to villagers.

▪          Expanding and making more reliable, the Medical Evacuation Program for the hinterland communities.

▪          Establishing sub‐regional diagnostic centers in the hinterland Regions of 1, 7, 8, 9 and 10 (Berbice River) and strengthening support for remote Amerindian populations’ access to tertiary medical treatment.

o        Increasing awareness and public education at the village level.

o        Improving and increasing the access of social welfare services within the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs to address social issues and concerns of indigenous people.

Transportation

▪          Developing, extending and upgrading existing road linkages and infrastructures to facilitate improved access of villagers in support of agriculture, tourism and marketing of goods and services.

▪          Continuing to increase and improve transport systems to support farmers and the new tourism initiatives in the villages.

▪          Continuing to support better systems of transportation both land and water for Amerindian students from villages to secondary schools within the regional sub districts.

Renewable Energy

▪          Exploring and developing the use of renewable energy by using natural, environmentally friendly and cheap sources of energy available in villages so as to ensure the support to economic advancement and social opportunities, thereby fostering an increase in livelihood options and opportunities to youths and households.

▪          Completing the Solar Household Units distribution to hinterland and indigenous communities

▪          Providing and increasing solar energy capacity to support economic activities and

▪          Developing Solar Power ICT Hubs to support the access to computers and related training in villages.

The first duty of any government is to keep people safe. Our law enforcement agencies are entrusted with the crucial responsibility of maintaining law and public order, which forms one of the central pillars of our democracy. We will continue to help make our streets safer and our borders more secure.

Over the years, successive PPP/C Governments have pursued the objective of strengthening the security and judicial sector, with significant success. In the area of policing and the criminal justice system the PPP/C will continue to focus on people’s experiences of insecurity and injustice.

Our Commitments will include:

▪          Completing and implementing the Security Sector Strategic Plan of the Guyana Police Force;

▪          Improving partnerships in the security system to ensure the criminal justice system works effectively and efficiently through collaboration with the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) Chambers and the Judiciary;

▪       Providing resources and support for a professional Army while expanding its Reserves

▪          Adopting a more targeted approach to eliminate the trafficking/sale/consumption of illegal drugs and to strengthen our security network to prevent trans-shipments;

▪          Recruiting and retaining competent personnel to address issues that relate to child/sexual abuse, domestic violence, rape and the use of illicit substances through the establishment of a Special Crimes Unit;

▪          Strengthening monitoring and legislative reforms to tackle robberies, burglaries, piracy, hijacking, trafficking of persons and abduction;

▪          Enhancing the monitoring of our roadways and ensuring more aggressive  traffic education and road safetyawareness;

▪          Expanding the use of technology for intelligence gathering, investigations and data/case management;

▪          Maximizing the use of the modern forensic laboratory to improve forensic and scientific approach to investigations and partnering with similar institutions in other countries in a common approach to reduce crime and protect the Caribbean region.

▪       Revamping critical aspects of the law, including provisions for judicial review and implementing the several pieces of legislation recently passed which will bring efficiency to the legal system and  make the system more accountable;

▪          Reforming the current legal system to bring greater equity in access of our citizens to justice especially in hinterland and rural communities;

▪          Enacting a series of legislation designed to advance our national developmental trajectory, develop our people’s social welfare and most importantly, strengthening the State apparatus and its law enforcement agencies and capacity to effectively and successfully wage war against crime and criminals; thereby, creating a safe and secure environment in which every Guyanese can aspire and indeed, realize his or her potential, while at the same time, making our nation a safe and secure destination for local and foreign investments.

▪          Enhancing the rehabilitative programmes at our prisons with emphasis on training for staff and offenders;

▪          Placing special emphasis on reducing and eventually eliminating the backlog in matters before the courts;

▪          Collaborating with external partners to control organized crime by using special agencies such as the National Intelligence Committee (NIC), Special Organized Crime Unit (SOCU) and Customs and Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU)

▪          Supporting the efforts of the Task Force on Smuggling andContraband to avert persons engaged in smuggling of contraband around our borders.

▪          Establishing a National Emergency Centre (911 System) that can be accessed 24-hours daily.

▪          Reducing the Average Police Response Times to 15 – 30 Minutes.

▪          Establishing a “neighbourhood watch” programme.  The goal of this programme is to increase surveillance by residents and community members of their own neighborhoods. 

▪          Introducing a problem oriented approach to addressing crime called POP (problem-oriented policing) with  police taking a proactive role in identifying, understanding, and responding to problems – not just incidents in their communities. 

▪          Implementing a more aggressive road policing and traffic law enforcement system to reduce the influence of criminals on the public transport sector.

▪          Ensuring police officers work closely with the Ministry of Education to reduce school violence, or drug abuse and the influence of criminal gangs in our schools.

▪          Establishing a targeted policing programme to secure and boost confidencein critical sectors such as Tourism, Agriculture, Mining, Construction, Commerce and Transport.

▪          Expanding the Police Youth Clubs and Mentorship.

▪          Continuing to enhance the human resource base of the justice system by the appointment of more Judges, Magistrates and other personnel.

▪          Partnering with the Judiciary to ensure that there are more frequent sittings of the Magistrate’s Court in the rural communities and in particular, the hinterland communities. In this regard, new court houses which are being built in these areas are being done with residential facilities for Magistrates to encourage longer stints in the hinterland communities.

▪          Completing the installation and operationalization of a modern voice recording system at the Court of Appeal, as well as in the High Court at Georgetown, Demerara, New Amsterdam, Berbice and Suddie, Essequibo.

▪          Establishing a new Mediation center in Essequibo to complement centres already established in Georgetown and New Amsterdam, Berbice.

▪          Continuing the modernization of the Supreme Court Registry and the Deeds and Land Registries, including the total digitization of the records, as well as the processes at these institutions.

▪          Digitizing the Deeds and Land Registry records and improve the function of the related agencies.

Some new Legislations to be implemented are:

▪          A Bail Act

▪          A Jury’s Act

▪          An E -Transaction Act

▪          A New Arbitration Act

▪          A Hire Purchase Act

▪          A Whistle Blower Protection Act

▪          Electronic Communications and Transactions Act 

▪          Juvenile Justice Act

▪          A Motor Vehicles Insurance (Third Party Risks) Amendment Act 

▪          Amendments to the Anti-Money Laundering & Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) Act.

▪          Review the legalization on the use of marijuana and on the quantities that attract mandatory minimum jail sentences.

 

In building a just and fair  society in which all of our people feel a part of its future, the PPP/C’s embrace of good governance is fundamentally premised on its respect for human dignity.

The PPP/C accepts the full responsibility of leadership and its concomitant obligations to the citizens of Guyana. It is in the areas of governing fairly, justly, with accountability and respect for the rights of citizens that the PPP/C continues to operationalise modern and equitable governance approaches.

The PPP/C’s vision of governance in Guyana builds on calls for the formulation and adoption of standards which the Guyanese community undertakes to uphold. The vision sees the adoption and practice of a culture of respect for equality, non-discrimination, human dignity, transparency and public accountability.

Ensuring Accountability, Transparency & Fairness in the Public Sector

▪          Continuing the fight against corruption at all levels of Government and society by instituting mechanisms for greater transparency and accountability.

▪          Publishing a Cabinet Code of Conduct

▪          Establishing a Special Investigation of Corruption body with powers to investigate corruption and prosecute crimes of corruption

▪          Appointing the Public Procurement Commission with the requisite Parliamentary support whilst retaining Cabinet’s “no objection”.

▪          Establishing confidential complaints mechanisms to encourage people to report incidences of corruption

▪          Establishing codes of conduct for public officials at all levels.

▪          Strengthening laws and regulations with regard to bribery of public officers and officials. 

▪          Strengthening the office of the Commissioner of Information to respond to legitimate requests in accordance with the Access to Information Act.

▪          Reaching out to the international platform to examine best practices in tackling corruption in both the private and public sectors.

▪          Reviewing existing legal options and the enforcement of anti-corruption mechanisms, especially as it relates to public sector agencies.

Strengthening the Rights of the Guyanese People

The PPP/C will continue to work to ensure that every citizen of Guyana enjoys the rights enshrined in our Constitution and to meet our international treaty obligations.

We will work within the framework established in our Constitution to strengthen social justice and address ethnic insecurity wherever it exists. Further, we will enhance the capabilities and capacities with adequate staffing and resources of the five rights commissions:

▪          The Human Rights Commission

▪          The Ethnic Relations Commission

▪          The Women and Gender Equality Commission

▪          The Indigenous People’s Commission

▪          The Rights of the Child Commission

•        Ensuring that the independence of the Police Complaints Authority is upheld with pro-active approach and strengthened investigative and prosecutorial capacity.

•        Ensuring the Office of the Ombudsman is continually supported and its independence guaranteed.

•        Amending the laws and regulations of the Integrity Commission to give the Commission greater clout in investigating and addressing those who are not in compliance with the Integrity Commission Act.

•        Maintaining and strengthening the independence of the judiciary.

•        Placing special emphasis in keeping with our obligations to the National Disabilities Act and as a State Party to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, on persons who are differently abled ensuring that their rights are promoted, respected and protected. In particular, policies will be implemented to ensure that all public buildings are accessible and provide facilities friendly to the differently abled.

•        Ensuring that geographical regions and local government organs are adequately resourced and elected officers at the local levels are held accountable. 

•        Exploring all levels of government the creation of institutionalised mechanisms for greater participation of political (including the elected Opposition) and civil society stakeholders on a statutory basis.

•        Improving the functioning of the Justice System, including ensuring it is accountable.

Local Government and Regional Development

We view an effective system of local government as an essential component in people-centered development, especially at the community level. Our vision for Local Government seeks to address all issues of local democracy and to remove the constraints, red tape and bureaucracy that prevent local government bodies from doing their work in an effective and efficient manner.

 In the last few years, much emphasis has been placed on the coordination between central government agencies and the local government bodies. However, we intend to expand the collaboration between local government bodies and community development groups. We remain committed to enhancing accountability and transparency in the operations of local government bodies.

Our Plans will include:

▪          Ensuring that Local Government Elections are held by June 2016, once the required conditions stipulated by GECOM are met and approved by the National Assembly.

▪          Finalizing the Local Government Amendment Act (Chapter 28:02);

▪       Establishing the Local Government Commission;

▪          Enacting the Solid Waste Bill, establishing the Solid Waste Management Authority and creating Regional Solid Waste Landfill Sites across Administrative Regions 2 to 10;

▪          Improving the capacities of Local Authorities to effectively collect and manage revenues;

▪          Increasing citizens’ participation in Local Development by facilitating greater participation of local citizens in developing the Budgets of Local Authorities and in Monitoring and Evaluation mechanisms;

▪          Assisting NDCs in applying ICT to discharge their functions.

The PPP/C has always been working with all citizens to ensure that the benefits of government services are available and implemented in an effective and efficient manner. The PPP/C vision is for all Guyanese to enjoy the goods and services offered by the government so that the quality of their lives will be consistently improving.

We need to engage more young people in the benefits of our public service and civic life, while achieving greater diversity at all levels of governance. We aim to restore trust in Parliament and its members, and reform the institutions of our government to bring people in, not shut them out. We will devolve power from Georgetown down to our regions, towns and local communities.

The new system will aim to incorporate tools such as citizens’/clients’feedback forms, suggestion boxes, news monitoring, call services and client surveys, thus improving service delivery and promoting transparency and accountability in a government administration.

Our Commitments will include:

a)      Greater engagement and empowerment of citizens

b)      More information on where and how to access goods and services in a user friendly manner

c)       Regular reporting on decision making to the public

d)      Investments in expertise and skill building

The PPP/C will make it easier for citizens to access public services. We will accelerate the shift from simply administering services to regularly engaging and empowering citizens, involving them in the design and, in some cases, the delivery these services. This shift is not just about increasing choice and well-being; it’s also about boosting government productivity, with the help of technology and the use of open data.

The PPP/C will continue to support the modernization of the National Insurance Scheme which will allow for improvements in the delivery of the services and viability of its investment.

The PPP/C will continue to work towards the development of a more professional and responsive public service. This approach also requires the involvement of the public in holding the Public Service accountable for the quality of service provided. The PPP/C will move the Public Service from a rules-bound approach that hinders the delivery of services to an approach that encourages innovation and is results driven.

Equitable Access to Land and Other Services

There will be continued reform of land tenureship as well as the land allocation and management systems  

▪          Recognizing that land ownership has empowered many Guyanese, the PPP/C will continue to review its land distribution policy to ensure that land is available to persons for farming, commerce, industry or mining.

▪          Accelerating hinterland and rural community roads.

▪          Expanding incentives to farmers and manufacturers who invest in rural and hinterland communities.

▪          Working with the banking sector to provide financing for investments in non-traditional manufacturing establishments in rural communities.

▪          Seek to decentralize most government services to the regions particularly Essequibo and Berbice.

Geographic Information Systems

Guyana is on the path of a Geospatial Revolution which will change the way we think about, develop and integrate geography and information technology. The PPP/C government recently approved a National Policy on Geographic Information (GI). This policy will reduce duplication of efforts among agencies, improve quality and reduce costs related to geographic information, make geographic data more accessible to the public, increase the benefits of using available data and establishing key partnerships with counties, NDCs, towns, cities, Amerindian communities, academia and the private sector.

                                               

Additionally, a National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI) and the Guyana Geospatial Advisory Council (GGAC) will be established. These two bodies will be responsible for the technology, policies, criteria, standards and people necessary to promote geospatial data sharing throughout all levels of government, the private and non-profit sectors, and academia.

The PPP/C aims to ensure that all public servants put people first, and adhere to the following overarching principles:

▪          Consultation:  citizens should be consulted about their needs.

▪          Standards: all citizens should know what services to expect.

▪          Redress: all citizens should be offered an apology and solution when standards are not met

▪          Access: all citizens should have equal access to services.

▪          Courtesy: all citizens should be treated courteously.

▪          Information: all citizens are entitled to accurate information.

▪          Openness and transparency: all citizens should be informed on how decisions are made and departments are run.

▪          Value for money: all services provided should offer value for money.

Guyana continues to provide leadership at the regional and global levels. In this regard, its foreign policy achievements have never been this impressive. We will continue to embrace and promote a foreign policy that is based on the preservation of Guyana’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, enhancing our country’s image abroad and the pursuit of sustained engagement with traditional partners and the building of new alliances.

Over the past two decades, Guyana’s Trade Policy has been underpinned by the country’s rights and obligations under the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas. This policy approach will continue to underpin Guyana’s foreign trade agenda over the next five years (2015-2020).

As a matter of public policy and good governance, the Government is committed to the consultative process to enhance the understanding and appreciation of the Guyanese public of the benefits and impact of trade and trade liberalization.

Foreign Relations:

We will:

▪          Continue to protect our sovereignty and territorial integrity even as we pursue closer relations with our neighbours, Brazil, Suriname and Venezuela, through the several programmes of cooperation which currently exist. In particular we will work with Suriname to advance the construction of a Bridge across the Corentyne River.

▪          Continue to engage with traditional partners (USA, Canada, UK, EU, etc.) and build new alliances (BRIC Countries) to protect and improve the welfare and interest of all the Guyanese people.

▪          Continue to pursue through the United Nations the resolution of the controversy of Venezuela’s claim that the 1899 Arbitral Award that definitively settled the boundary between Guyana and Venezuela is null and void;

▪          Sustain our global leadership on climate action and promote Guyana’s Low Carbon Development Strategy as a working model of green growth while maintaining global leadership on climate action towards reaching a fair and effective climate agreement in Paris, December 2015.

▪          Acknowledge the invaluable assistance of the Cuban Government to the development of our human resources, continue to take advantage of scholarship offers and develop with Cuba a mutually beneficial tertiary education training programme, particularly in the area of post-graduate medicine;

▪          Preserve the mutually beneficial partnerships with the United Kingdom, the United States of America, Canada and the European Union, as well as with strategic partners in Latin America, Africa, Asia and the Middle East;

▪          Continue to be special partners with China and India in Guyana’s development. Guyana will continue to benefit from China’s assistance in many areas including health, education, foreign direct investment, direct provision of Grant Aid, physical and social infrastructure projects. We will also benefit from the provision by the Government of India; a Line of Credit to build a Specialty Hospital and advance the East Bank-East Coast Road Linkage project.

▪          Continue to work with the Government of Brazil to pave the Lethem-Linden Road and commence the feasibility study for the construction of a Hydropower Plant to export power to that country.

Foreign Trade

We will:

▪          Continue to advocate at the global, regional and bilateral levels for trade agreements that cater for the specificities of developing countries. In that regard we will support the completion of the Canada-CARICOM Trade and Development Agreement that remains critical for Guyana, and  we will continue to advocate for its adoption;

▪          Continue the Implementation of the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement to strengthen the efficiency of the Customs and trade administration, improve the domestic trade transaction environment and promote a business friendly trade regime for Guyana’s exporters and importers;

▪          Deepen implementation of the CARIFORUM-EU Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA);

▪          Pursue the negotiation and conclusion of Bilateral Investment Treaties.

▪          Deepen bilateral ties with CARICOM Member States and other countries in the Caribbean region.

▪          Continue to promote the interests of Guyana in regional and international organizations in particular the Caribbean Community, the Association of Caribbean States, the Amazon Treaty Organization, the Union of South American Nations, the Organization of American States, the United Nations, the Commonwealth and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.

▪          Advance with the assistance of the International Organization of Migration, the Guyana Diaspora Project (GUYD) for harnessing the skills, goodwill, knowledge and resources of Guyanese in the Diaspora towards their contribution to national development.

Sisters and Brothers, Fellow Guyanese

Guyana is on a journey to a brighter future. The PPP/C is proud of our leadership role on this journey. The 2015 Elections provide us with an opportunity to keep moving forward on a development trajectory that guarantees a better and longer life for every citizen. We invite you to join us with Our Vision: Guyana Version 2.0 so that Guyana stays on course to become an upper middle income country.

A country is at its best when the bonds between its people are strong, stable, secure, and the sense of national purpose is clear. We have never been clearer about what we want – ONE GUYANA, ONE FUTURE: PEACE, PROGRESS AND PROSPERITY. This is Our Vision: Guyana Version 2.0. We can realize it together.

Our ambition – Our Vision: Guyana Version 2.0 – is a fully developed society that is free, prosperous, socially just and globally competitive. Every Guyanese, no matter where they live, must have a chance for a good education, to work and earn good wages, to raise and provide for a family, to own their own homes, to live in a strong, stable and secure environment and to retire with dignity. We believe that every Guyanese must have full access to quality healthcare and safe water and be able to participate in sports and recreation and practice their religion and culture. We believe that our hard work and sacrifice must guarantee the next generation of Guyanese a brighter and better future, rigidly adhering to our enduring principle: NO ONE LEFT OUT. NO ONE LEFT BEHIND.

As Elections 2015 approach, the choice and character of our government should not be a matter of chance, charity or change for change sake. The choice is clear. The PPP/C has a proud track record and we are a party of ideas. Unlike our opponents, a coalition of self-interests, we are united with our people, with a singleness of purpose – a long and prosperous life for all.   

In 1992, with our PASSION for FREEDOM and with an optimistic patriotism that change must come, our people joined us in a collective desire for change and a new beginning. We took destiny in our hands and we made a difference in the lives of our people and in the future of our country. We abandoned the humiliation of hunger, poverty and shame and together we embraced a future of unlimited possibilities.  Now we must stay the course together.

We nurtured and strengthened freedom and liberty and established a new commitment to democratic traditions. Guyana shed the shame of rigged elections and dictatorial rule and abandoned our post-independence marginalization trends. We began the creation of a NATION STEEPED in LIBERTY AND RESPECT FOR HUMAN RIGHTS AND DIGNITY.

The PPP/C led Guyana out of the low income grouping of countries and attained middle income status, a major leap forward. We reduced the debt that was an albatross stifling our young Nation. With a track record of keeping our promises, re-building our country, restoring our economy, strengthening our families, providing more opportunities for education and health and making it possible for our people to own their own homes, the PPP/C has proven that we have the capacity and can be trusted to further develop our country for the improved PROSPERITY AND WELLBEING OF ALL.

We transformed a failed and crippled economy into a modern multi-dimensional economic enterprise, one that has recorded the longest uninterrupted economic growth of any country in CARICOM. We made significant strides in the modernization of our infrastructure and our services. We built tourism and service as industries. We are taking advantage of the ICT Revolution and we have become a leader in preserving and promoting a safer environment. We have become a leader in a new economic model – a Low Carbon Development Strategy. GUYANA HAS BECOME AN ADMIRED COUNTRY WORLDWIDE.

Since the inception of the PPP, our leaders have been unswerving in their commitment towards the creation of a united country, where our people are proud of their rich cultural, religious and ethnic diversity. We reject the efforts of those who continue to incite and encourage division among our people, claiming ownership of groups of people based on ethnicity. Unity has been nurtured because our focus has been consistently and persistently on PROGRESS and PROSPERITY for ALL. Truly, we have walked together as a Nation under the leadership of the PPP/C, and like the great and beautiful Guyanese ballad, we can really proclaim: “arise triumphant glorious from the ashes of the past”.

Ours is a Proud Guyana Story, filled with principles that are compelling, persuasive, vital and enduring.

 

Together we can Propel Guyana to even Greater Heights.

 

We Can Do It Together!

 
Vote PPP/C on May 11, so that We can Together, Continue this Journey