President Ali to outline govt’s vision in upcoming Parliamentary address

President Dr Irfaan Ali has confirmed that he will deliver his address to the 13th Parliament of Guyana and his government’s vision will be clearly outlined when he does so.

“I will definitely be addressing Parliament in a substantive way,” the President assured the public in an interview on Monday.

“I will outline the vision, the strategy, and where we want to position Guyana as we move towards 2030 — building a strong, resilient, and sustainable country.”

President Ali rejected claims that the reconvening of Parliament was delayed for political reasons.

Speaking in a live interview moments before the National Assembly convened on Monday, Dr Ali said the government has consistently followed the law and administrative procedures in dealing with ongoing international investigations, including the U.S. indictment and extradition request against businessman Azruddin Mohamed.

“Constitutionally, I had up to this point to reconvene Parliament, and I said from day one that I will act in accordance with the Constitution — and I will always act in accordance with the Constitution,” Dr Ali said.

The President emphasised that the legal processes surrounding Mohamed, who is facing charges including gold smuggling and money laundering, began long before 2020 and are international in nature, involving cross-jurisdictional cooperation with the United States, Canada, and other partners.

“This notion that Parliament was delayed for an extradition is totally disconnected from the truth,” he said. “It is a narrative created for a specific intention and specific purpose.”

Dr Ali explained that once all Members of Parliament are sworn in and administrative matters such as the election of the Opposition Leader are completed, he will address the House.

Dr Ali used the opportunity to wish the new Parliament success in its work over the next five years, calling on MPs to uphold their duty to the people and the Constitution.

“God bless the new Parliament. I wish the Parliament every success. God bless all those who will be representing our people, and I wish the Parliament a healthy five years,” he said.