Jagdeo says gov’t surpassing manifesto targets quickly
Vice President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo says that the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) government “under promised” in its manifesto ahead of the March 2020 Regional and General elections based on the rate at which he believes Guyanese lives’ are being improved.
The Vice President, while engaging residents of Dundee, Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice) on Wednesday, said that the government was focused on improving the people’s welfare. And he believes that the government has done a fairly good job at this, after only being in office less than two years.
The removal of harsh taxes, the payment of several cash grants and improving the country’s infrastructure, he said, are indicative of the government’s focus despite challenges emanating from the COVID-19 pandemic and the Ukraine/ Russia crisis.
And during his engagement with the residents, he said that the government believes it can quickly fulfil other promises made.
“50,000 jobs is a low target for me because right now we are running out of labour in many parts of the country.
“If we want to keep the economy growing at the pace it is growing, we will probably have to look in the future to get more people here,” Dr. Jagdeo related.
The creation of 50,000 jobs was a key manifesto promise made by the PPP. The provision of 50,000 house lots was another promise, and the Vice President addressed this too.
According to him, over 10,000 house lots have already been completed. And in this year’s National Budget, he said that money has been allocated for the much-needed infrastructure to support the creation of another 30,000 house lots across the country.
But, the Vice President said, “We under promised.”
He added, “We never promised housing units but we plan on providing thousands of housing units.”
Dr. Jagdeo explained that the government embarked on a programme of state-sponsored construction of housing units that allow many Guyanese to own their own homes quickly, and repay mortgages.
Recently, Housing Minister Collin Croal told the News Room that over 1,500 young professional homes are being established in La Bonne Intention (LBI) on the East Coast of Demerara (ECD).
Young professional houses are also currently under construction at Providence and Prospect on the East Bank of Demerara (EBD), Cummings Lodge in Georgetown and Amelia’s Ward, Linden.
Even with these projects ongoing, Dr. Jagdeo told the Region Five residents that the government is exploring the appetite for those state-sponsored housing developments in that region.