President to accelerate plans for ‘Green State’ in 2017, Opposition Leader to push for Unity & accountability

President David Granger in his New Year’s message highlighted his administration’s achievements during the country’s Jubilee year of 2016 while outlining his plans for the year 2017.

The Head of State alluded to the hosting of local government elections for the first time since 1994, the establishment of three new towns– Bartica Lethem and Mabaruma and the move made in relation to the Guyana/Venezuela border dispute as achievements for the year 2016. He added that “with supreme confidence and with the strong conviction that we have chosen the correct course to advance our country.”

“We look forward to a happy year as we continue to move purposefully along the path towards the establishment of a ‘green state” President said as he welcomed the New Year. He added that the “New Year will witness the acceleration of the transition towards improvements in our citizens’ quality of life.”

President granger said the ‘green state’ will see his administration doing more to adopt the use of renewable energy with the drafting of a comprehensive, clean energy plan to guide the transition to sustainable energy generation.

The ‘Plan’ is expected to enable citizens to receive renewable and reliable energy at a reduced cost for households, industries and hinterland communities which will in turn remove dependence on imported fossil fuels and will result in foreign exchange savings.

It is with this model that the Head of state also hopes to empower local communities to generate employment, promote the protection of the natural environment by the conservation, reduce the impact of the economic and environmental shocks and demand the strengthening of efforts in science and technology education to quickly adopt information and communication technology.

Meanwhile, Leader of the Opposition, Bharrat Jagdeo in his message which began with wishes for goodwill, higher standards of living, equity and justice as well as massive economic development, reflect on the “significant challenges” encountered in 2016.

He further added that “2017 must be used as the year to achieve national healing and reconciliation, racial harmony, unity and cohesiveness… We can ill-afford this year to have more political rifts, divisiveness, poor economic management, poor social cohesion initiatives and parliamentary chaos. It is my hope therefore that our National Assembly will rise to a new level where more meaningful consultation, political cooperation and consensus are the order of the day and the new political culture.”

Jagdeo also agreed with the President’s push for a green economy noting that “as a nation we must also strive to work together to achieve our broad objectives of creating an economy that is resilient, diversified, green and capable of withstanding the shocks caused by international financial crises”

“The People’s Progressive Party Civic which is the main opposition parliamentary party will continue to lobby and fight for the rights of the Guyanese people at every level. We will cease every opportunity to ensure that good governance prevails and higher levels of transparency and accountability are evident in Government’s business and undertakings,” the Opposition Leader said.