In his inaugural speech as the ninth Executive President of Guyana, Dr Irfaan Ali talked up the prospects of unity under the new People’s Progressive Party Government.
Dr Ali took the Oath of Office at a simple ceremony Sunday afternoon at the Arthur Chung Conference Center before Chancellor of the Judiciary (ag), Justice Yonette Cummings Edwards.
“We will not disappoint you,” Ali said, calling for unity among Guyanese as the PPP commences its work in Government.
“We thank you sincerely for your confidence and your trust but you will know that in voting for the PPP you’ve elected a Government to serve all the people of Guyana and that is what we will be doing,” Dr Ali added.
“We are in this together, we are not separated,” the new President said as he looks forward to a smooth transmission in Government.
Ali said he will move swiftly to appoint and name his new cabinet so that the work of Government can commence instantaneously.
“You will have a Government that is accessible and one that will be more than willing to share with you information as we work on building our Guyana in the interest of all,” he said.
Absent from the ceremony was former President David Granger; Ali said he was invited to the event.
Heads of the Army, Police and Fire Service along with senior members of the PPP were present along with several heads of overseas missions.
Ali was also joined by the former head of the Guyana Defence Force, Brigadier Mark Phillips who will serve alongside him as Prime Minister in the new government.
Ali is being sworn as President following a five-month-long delay in the declaration of the results of the election.
Guyanese went to the polls on March 02, 2020, to elect a new government.
Ali served in the former PPP government as Minister of Housing and Minister of Tourism. He is married to Arya Ali and fathers a son.
