FORMER British Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill once said, “The price of greatness is responsibility.” Another modern-day political theorist, Jairam Ramesh, suggests boldly that “Governance is about taking tough, even unpopular, decisions.”
Another modern group of political scientists suggest that there will be some long-term consequences of making the right decision. These will be rebellion, upheaval, protest and temporary discomfort faced in certain quarters, but must be stamped out using law and order, and justice.
In making the right and unpopular decisions, a government would not necessarily be popular and liked at the same time, but knows that it is making the right decision in the long run to benefit citizens enormously in the end.
In short, the most transformative leaders are often those willing to endure the temporary sting of unpopularity to secure the permanent prosperity of a nation.
Recently, President Mohamed Irfaan Ali’s administration is standing in that public fire.
From the central government’s takeover of municipal roads in Georgetown to the standardisation of tint laws and the overhaul of firearms licensing, these decisions have sparked heated, necessary and spirited debate.
Yet, when stripped of political rhetoric, these moves reveal a government doing the difficult, tough and necessary work that previous decades of inertia failed to address.
Recall at this point that President Ali had consistently emphasised that his administration’s approach to governance involves making tough, “uncomfortable” decisions to ensure long-term national development, economic resilience and to steer Guyana towards becoming a global leader in food, energy and climate security.
This was so even when he was a minister of government in the Bharrat Jagdeo and Donald Ramotar governments and tough decisions had to be made in the Ministries of Housing, Water, and Tourism.
He had stressed that development must be felt in every household and that his government is proactive in addressing challenges rather than reactive.
Ali had stated that confronting challenges, such as crime and economic hurdles, requires a “proactive, thinking organisation.”
Time and time again, Ali described that the government may go through “tough periods” to come out stronger, asserting the need to apply necessary, sometimes unpopular, decisions at the right time.
He noted then that as the country undergoes rapid transformation, it is necessary to modernise and update laws to maintain investor confidence and ensure justice.
Now, let’s analyse the unpopular decisions that this administration has had to make for the nation’s benefit.
Firstly, for too long, Georgetown has been held hostage by the systemic, endemic and prolonged failure of its City Council.
The decades of mismanagement have left the capital with crumbling streets, stagnant drainage and an aura of urban decay.
The Ali government’s recent move to reclassify and take control of 57 key municipal roads, including major arteries such as Regent and Robb Streets, is not a power grab, it is a rescue mission. plain and simple. It’s not an executive overreach, but it is the government showing responsibility and allowing the council to focus its attention and resources in other areas that matter.
The benefits are already becoming tangible.
By integrating these roads into the national infrastructural framework under the Ministry of Public Works, the government is ensuring they are rehabilitated with modern standards—moving faster than a cash-strapped council ever could. I know former Mayor Hamilton Greene would certainly agree away from the public eye without any cameras present and the press. I am sure that Mayor Alfred Mentore would agree if he weren’t being forced to take a party line on this issue.
This isn’t just about asphalt; it’s about commerce, mobility and the dignity of a capital city that finally reflects Guyana’s burgeoning global status — period!
Secondly, the administration’s stance on tint and firearms has also faced pushback. Yet the reforms are rooted in a singular, non-negotiable priority, which is public safety.
The New Motor Vehicle (Tint) Regulations 2025 (effective January 1, 2026) replaced a murky, bureaucratic system of waivers with clear, enforceable standards: 25% light transmission for front side windows and 20% for the rear.
Critics focused on the loss of “privacy,” but the reality is that unauthorised tints have long been a tool for criminals to conceal identities and weapons. They are concealing many other societal ills that result in social chaos and confusion. I will leave it there.
By standardising these laws and equipping the police with tint meters, the government has removed the opportunity for bribery and improved the safety of law enforcement officers. This is not to say that it will happen overnight.
Similarly, the proposed shift towards non-lethal weapons permits addresses a dangerous backlog of over 30,000 firearm applications. Simply flooding the streets with 50,000 more guns, many of which inevitably end up in the hands of criminals through theft, is a recipe for disaster. By introducing a “tiered and graduated” system that prioritises non-lethal self-defence tools, the government is providing citizens with protection while preventing a surge in lethal violence.
The end goals are admirable and must be looked at by all stakeholders as a step further in the right direction.
Thirdly, the management of chronic flooding remains one of the most visceral and persistent challenges facing the Ali administration. It’s not a ‘now’ problem. It was a problem in the ‘past’ and will likely be a problem for decades to come if Guyanese do not reform their behaviours with respect to the environment.
While heavy rains often bring immediate frustration and criticism from affected residents, the government’s approach has shifted towards long-term resilience rather than temporary fixes.
By investing significantly in drainage infrastructure, including high-capacity pumping stations and the desilting of major canals, the administration is implementing a strategy designed for the decades ahead. President Ali and Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha have tirelessly been championing the upkeep of drainage and irrigation structures in this regard and have been calling on citizens to do their part in a responsible manner.
The decision to centralise many of these efforts, sometimes bypassing local authorities, stems from a recognition that flood mitigation requires a cohesive national grid. In an era where climate change poses an existential threat to low-lying coastal regions, the government has argued that technical expertise and consistent maintenance must take precedence over fragmented municipal oversight. These investments in “grey and green” infrastructure are intended to ensure that the city can withstand increasingly volatile weather patterns, protecting both property and livelihoods for the long term.
Fourthly, true leadership is rarely a popularity contest; it is the responsibility to make difficult choices that yield benefits far beyond the current political and news cycle. The Ali administration is navigating a period of rapid national transformation, choosing to implement standardised laws and centralised infrastructural projects that aim to build a more organised, safe, and resilient Guyana.
While the standardisation of vehicle regulations, the reform of licensing systems, and the takeover of municipal responsibilities have met with resistance, these actions reflect a philosophy of proactive governance.
By addressing the root causes of urban decay, public-safety concerns and environmental vulnerability, the government is laying a foundation for a modern state. These decisions, though debated today, are presented as the necessary steps to ensure that future generations of Guyanese can live in a nation that is secure, functional, and prepared for its role on the global stage.
Making tough decisions requires courage. Being hip, being popular, being cool, that’s really easy, until you have to make tough decisions. And when you have to make tough decisions, that veneer of coolness comes off real quick.
DISCLAIMER: The views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Guyana National Newspapers Limited.