Lives changed, livelihoods created — Guyanese praise gov’t for steps made over the past three years

PRESIDENT, Dr Irfaan Ali along with the members of his Cabinet are on a mission to ensure that every Guyanese, especially vulnerable groups, get an opportunity to better their lives by gaining employment, accessing tertiary education and creating livelihoods through small business grants, among many other things.

In an interview with the Guyana Chronicle, Gladwyn Hamilton, a contractor from Buxton, said that he is grateful for the opportunity given to him by the PPP/C government, specifically President Ali and Minister of Public Works, Bishop Juan Edghill.

According to Hamilton: "I am eternally grateful to the PPP/C for believing in myself, the other contractors, and the people of Buxton. I don’t know if they will ever fully understand how much our lives have changed.

“We were given the right training, and we explained the process of bidding. It is because of them that I can provide for my family, and the people that were employed can provide for their families as well."

Hamilton continued: "This is the first time that a government has delivered on their promises to us, the small man. We started constructing bridges and met with Vice President Jagdeo, who said that we would be more contracted. I am happy that they believe in us, and that also makes us believe in ourselves. Because of these opportunities, we are able to even get private contracts; people recognise our work."

Patricia Moore, a small contractor from Tucville in Georgetown, said that she is "grateful and over the moon" to know that she was treated with the respect that she deserved from the current administration.

According to Moore: "I was awarded contracts from 2020 to date under President Ali’s government. One of the latest ones was to make sure that the drains at D’Urban were clean, I take pride in what I do, and the persons that are employed know how tidy and up to standard I like my work to be. We desilt, weed, and cut trees.

"It might sound like nothing much, but I want to say that it is because President Ali and his people believe in me, I am living a comfortable life. I am happy, and I am looking forward to getting more contracts soon. I am a woman, and I am proud to say that I am a contractor. I love what I do, and I thank this government again for giving me this opportunity even though I am a woman."

Another contractor, Jeremy Garret, of Leopold Street, said that he is very pleased that the people of his community are given the same opportunity to earn an income for themselves and their families as others.

He said that even though there is a stigma attached to certain communities, what he found is that the people within Leopold Street were "eager "to clean up their community, regardless of the money that they were being paid.

As it relates to President Ali, Garret said: "You have to be a hater to not see the good work that he is doing; he came to this community and made some promises, and he kept them, he is fulfilling them, and we are grateful to him and his government."

This publication also reached out to some of the people who are employed by these contractors as well as a few other small contracting firms.

Together, they shared similar sentiments in thanking the government for changing their lives through the opportunity of job creation. Daniel (only name given) of Lethem explained that he is currently working on the Lethem to Linden Road.

"Times were rough, and my wife and I used to work with people when they had TURN