2025 marks start of one of the most exciting, transformative periods in Guyana’s history – Pres. Ali

New Year’s Address to the Nation by His Excellency Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali

A Happy New Year to you all! Whether you are here at home or within our expanded diaspora, I extend warm and heartfelt wishes to you and your families for a happy, healthy, and prosperous New Year.

The New Year is always favourable to reflect on our shared journey, celebrate our accomplishments, and set our sights on the incredible possibilities that lie ahead. This year, my friends, is no ordinary year. As we step into 2025, we enter what is undoubtedly one of the most exhilarating and transformative periods in our nation’s history. The promise of a better life for every Guyanese is no longer a distant dream; it is becoming an irreversible reality. By the end of this decade, we should be able to enjoy one of the highest standards of living in the hemisphere, banish poverty, and reduce inequality.

In just a few weeks, the Minister with responsibility for Finance will lay before our nation a bold and comprehensive agenda packed with measures to fuel economic growth, strengthen social development, uplift our communities and improve personal well-being. These initiatives will reflect our commitment to creating opportunities and enhancing the quality of life for everyone.

But before I mention what is ahead, let us take a moment to celebrate the incredible progress we made together since 2020. From then, we have been singularly focused on the rapid transformation to a modern prosperous Guyana for all – one where national prosperity translates into community, household and individual well-being. We have been pursuing this objective by creating opportunities for economic and personal upliftment, including education and training, employment and opportunities for excellence in sporting and cultural endeavours.

This is the future we’re working toward—a Guyana where every citizen has a fair shot at success, and every family has the chance to live their best life. I am proud to say that we are delivering on that promise.

Let’s start with our economy. Guyana continues to be the shining star of global economic growth. The numbers speak for themselves: for the fifth consecutive year, our economy grew at an extraordinary pace, leading the world in economic performance. But here’s the best part—this growth is not confined to oil. Our non-oil sectors have expanded by more than 40% since 2019, and our non-oil exports are steadily climbing. This is the result of deliberate planning and diversification of our economy, ensuring that our growth is broad-based.

Even as we celebrated this growth, we made it our mission to cushion the effects of rising costs of living globally. We subsidised fuel and electricity, increased wages for public servants, teachers, and members of the Disciplined Services, and raised pensions for our elderly. Every school-aged child was eligible for the reintroduced ‘Because We Care’ cash grant to aid their education, and, in an unprecedented move, we began last month rolling out a $100,000 cash grant to every adult citizen. This process will continue in the months ahead. And let me signal that this cash grant is not intended to be a one-time payment. We are committed to ensuring that our people benefit from the proceeds derived from the exploitation of their natural resource wealth, and as such, we are committed to making future direct cash transfers to our citizens. In 2024, we also allocated sums earned from the sale of carbon credits to our hinterland communities. That’s real empowerment.

The physical transformation of our country is very much underway and visible for all to see. New bridges, roads, hospitals, schools, factories, warehouses, hotels and restaurants, offices, and homes are there for all to see. The speed with which our physical landscape is being transformed serves as abundant evidence of the pace at which this new Guyana is unfurling before our eyes. These investments are not just about infrastructure—they’re about improving the lives of ordinary Guyanese, making sure they have access to the services they need.

And now, we look ahead to 2025, a year of boundless possibilities. This year, we will deliver universal secondary education—ensuring that every child in Guyana has access to quality secondary schooling. Every teacher will either be trained or will be in training, and the University of Guyana will become tuition-free from this month. By the end of the year, more than 35,000 persons would have secured scholarships under the Guyana Online Academy of Learning (GOAL).

On top of that, we will soon launch a digital school, expand interventions in core subjects like mathematics, and find an enhanced pathway to relieving the burden of student loan repayments. Our children are our future, and we are putting in place the building blocks of a world-class education system.

In healthcare, 2025 will be revolutionary. Six new regional hospitals and two state-of-the-art nursing schools will be completed, paving the way for thousands of nurses and other medical professionals to join our workforce. Telemedicine sites will be rolled out to ensure high-quality medical services no matter where you live. Our goal is simple: to ensure that every Guyanese, from our hinterland to our coastland, has access to high-quality healthcare.

By the end of 2025, we will surpass our goal of distributing some 50,000 house lots. The fulfillment of this promise will allow us to move closer to the goal of every Guyanese family owning their own home.

By the end of 2025, the new Demerara River Bridge will be operational, and the East Bank to East Coast Bypass Road will be completed within months. This year, we will commence the construction of a new bridge across the Berbice River, and advance works on the Wismar Bridge. These river bridges will attract no tolls, will improve connectivity, and open new economic opportunities for all. Added to this is our ongoing investment in technology for public safety, and we are creating a Guyana where you can move about your daily lives with ease and security.

But in addition to this physical transformation, there is a parallel transformation occurring. In 2025, we will continue to work for a safer country and safer communities – where people and their property are safe. This year we will accelerate the rollout of the Smart Country Programme and the deployment of smarter technology and intelligence-driven policing.

In this new year, we will launch a Safer Roadways initiative that will involve better designed highways and roadways, strengthened enforcement of road safety laws and the use of technology-based solutions to stem the unacceptable level of road accidents and fatalities.

In 2025, we will also work towards cleaner and more appealing physical surroundings nationally. We will do this by improving solid waste management, including garbage collection services, increasing the number of waste disposal dump sites and promoting an improved sense of civic responsibility as well as the construction of attractive play parks and public spaces such as the transformed Kingston Seawall Esplanade, the Lamaha Street Walkway, and the Corriverton Play Park.

For those in receipt or eligible for pensions, social assistance, and disability grants, you can expect further increases to these essential supports. Public servants, teachers and members of the Disciplined Services are assured of further salary increases this year.

A programme to digitise our public services will aim at ensuring greater efficiency in the provision of public services. This is why when we say we are building a better Guyana, we mean a Guyana where no one is left behind.

In 2025, Guyana will launch the Global Biodiversity Alliance, which will continue to place us in the forefront of efforts to protect our environment. We have already made history through the sale of jurisdictional carbon credits, 15% of the proceeds of which are reserved for our Indigenous communities.

Our economy is exploding with opportunities for our young people. This is their moment to shine. From technology and agriculture to tourism, energy, and the creative industries, the doors are wide open for our youth to step forward and make their mark. Whether it’s starting your own business, pursuing a trade, or joining one of the many sectors driving our growth, the possibilities are endless to build a secure and prosperous future for themselves and their families.

Our women are making remarkable strides. We couldn’t be prouder of the impact they are having. But we’re not stopping here—our aim is to ensure that every woman has the support she needs to leave an even greater imprint on our economy and to have a stronger voice at every decision-making table. Whether it’s through access to financing, training, or leadership opportunities, we are committed to empowering our women because when our women succeed, our nation succeeds.

But beyond the plans and policies, what excites me most about 2025 is the prospect of democratic renewal – an imperative in any democracy. This is an Election Year—a time when each of you will have the power to shape the future of our democracy. Elections are not just about choosing leaders; they are about affirming our commitment to a free, fair, and vibrant democratic process. Let us show the world that Guyana’s democracy is not only resilient but robust. Your voice matters, and your vote is your strength.

Democracy is our ally, not our foe—it must always be a source of strength, never a weakness. It’s the foundation upon which we build a just and inclusive society. We must protect it fiercely. This is why we must stand firm in rejecting any return to the sordid past of electoral rascality.

Our future depends on fairness, transparency, and the trust of the people, and together, we will ensure democracy remains our guiding light.

Allow me in this regard to once again express our nation’s appreciation for the role played by former United States President Jimmy Carter in helping to broker the reforms that led to free and fair elections in October 1992 after almost a quarter of a century of political dictatorship. Sadly, President Carter passed away a few days ago. As I said in my message of condolence, President Carter’s standing in Guyana’s history is etched in gratitude and respect.

As we protect our democracy, we must remain ever-vigilant in safeguarding our sovereignty and territorial integrity. Guyana is no one’s pawn and certainly no pushover when it comes to defending what is rightfully ours. While we always seek peaceful resolutions to controversies, we stand resolute in our trust in the rule of international law and the solidarity of well-meaning friends. Together, we will ensure that our nation’s borders are upheld without compromise.

Fellow Guyanese, the journey we are on is nothing short of remarkable. Together, we are building a Guyana where every family can live with dignity, where opportunities for wealth creation are within reach, and where we are fully integrated into the global economy. We are building a One Guyana that is both democratic and inclusive. The One Guyana enterprise is not just about statistics or projects; it’s about people. It’s about you, your family, and the generations to come.

Therefore, as we march boldly into this new year, let us do so with confidence and optimism. The road ahead will not be without challenges, but I have no doubt that together, we will overcome them. Let us hold fast to our shared vision, our shared hope, and our shared determination to build a brighter, stronger, and more united Guyana.

Happy New Year to you all! May 2025 be a year of health, happiness, and extraordinary progress for you and your loved ones. Together, let us continue to lift Guyana to greater heights.

God bless you, and God bless our beloved Motherland!

I thank you