Govt committed to delivering even prosperity for citizens – Pres. Ali

President Dr Irfaan Ali has emphasised that his government is committed to building a country that delivers even prosperity for all by leveraging its lucrative oil and gas economy to support other industries.

Speaking during the opening ceremony of the 2026 Guyana Energy Conference and Supply Chain Expo, the president said the goal is to invest heavily in the development of the non-oil economy, to ensure prosperity is evenly distributed.

“Even prosperity does not mean that everybody must have the same amount of money in the bank account. Even prosperity means that the country must be able to give a baseline level of service to every citizen in health, in education, in recreation, in social infrastructure, in support for children…creating a baseline of excellence and quality for the citizens of the country…,” President Ali explained.

It also means creating an economy that is constantly creating job opportunities, the President added, emphasising that his government is committed to human cpital development.

He reasoned that, “if we can achieve all the beautiful buildings, the beautiful infrastructure but if we don’t improve our human development then what would be the use of all these beautiful things.”

Apart from creating sustainable high-valued jobs, he outlined that the government will continue its heavy investment in infrastructure to support the economy’s growth.

“We can have all the mega farms but if you don’t have the farm to market roads to bring the produce out, where will it go? We can speak forever that Guyana is located in the best geographic zone and if you don’t build the darn deep-water port, what will come out of it?” he posited.

President Ali added that development must translate into measurable economic value, expressing that “the bottom line is the pocket”.

Meanwhile, he stressed that prosperity is not achieved through spending alone but through “spending plus strategic alliances, integration and partnership.”

Guyana, he said, is building a model that does not postpone development.

President Ali highlighted ongoing and planned investments in Wales, including the Gas-to-Energy Project, gas processing facilities, fertiliser and industrial development, and plans for a scalable data centre to position Guyana as a regional technology hub.

He also underscored the importance of transport and logistics integration, including deep-water port development, enhanced connectivity with northern Brazil, and proposals for new municipal airports in Lethem and Region Six, as part of positioning Guyana as a gateway between South America and the Caribbean.

The three-day Energy Conference runs from February 17 to 20, bringing together global energy leaders, investors and policymakers to explore opportunities in one of the world’s fastest-growing economies.