‘Gov’t focused on changing people’s lives not economic theories’ – Jagdeo

Vice President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo has made it clear that the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) government is hyperfocused on policies that will change people’s lives and harness Guyana’s resources more sustainably.

As such, he says the government nor the party isn’t rigidly stuck to any particular economic school of thought.

According to Jagdeo, there are “maybe thousands” of economic theories but what the PPP/C is focused on are three main objectives: keeping the country intact, sustainably harnessing Guyana’s resources, and managing the local economy well so that the welfare of all people is guaranteed.

With this three-pronged focus, the Vice President believes the country will be better managed and all Guyanese will be able to get better skills and better paying jobs. Further, he said good management, drawn from listening to the concerns of people, will help Guyana respond to huge global challenges like climate change.

This is why, he said, neither the government nor the party is bogged down by the “sterile debate” on what specific economic theory would work best for the nation’s development.

“I’ve dealt with that in my younger days, those theoretical discussions.

“Now we have the business of the government to ensure that we deliver on our promise to people and that we change this country.

“…People may call that pragmatism but that’s what we believe in,” Jagdeo said when asked about the relevance of Marxism to the PPP/C.