Vice-President Dr Bharrat Jagdeo has signalled a renewed focus on governance and implementation, declaring that the administration is now squarely focused on fulfilling the promises made to the Guyanese people after the September 2025 General and Regional Elections.
Speaking on the sidelines of a large public outreach exercise at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC) on Monday, Dr Jagdeo said the government’s priority is no longer campaigning but ensuring that citizens receive the support, services and development promised during the election period.
“We’ve run the campaign, and now we have to deliver on our promise to our people,” Dr Jagdeo told reporters.
The engagement brought together ministers, government officials and technical personnel to meet directly with members of the public seeking assistance with a range of matters, including housing, employment, contracts, education and other social concerns.
According to the Vice-President, the initiative was designed to provide direct access between citizens and decision-makers, enabling long-standing issues to be addressed more efficiently.
He explained that government teams are working to resolve as many concerns as possible immediately. At the same time, more complex cases are being referred to by technical officers for ongoing follow-up and further meetings.
Dr Jagdeo also announced the return of his weekly press conferences, noting that the briefings will now place greater emphasis on government matters and national development rather than political exchanges.
The Vice-President said the administration has entered a critical phase centred on planning, implementation and the maintenance of economic stability amid Guyana’s rapid transformation.
Before the 2025 elections, the ruling People’s Progressive Party/Civic conducted an extensive nationwide consultation involving President Irfaan Ali, Dr Jagdeo and other party executives, during which thousands of Guyanese participated in discussions and submitted recommendations.
The process reportedly generated more than 5,000 submissions from over 2,000 individuals via WhatsApp, mail drops and regional party offices. Participants included youth groups, women, religious organisations, members of the creative sector and representatives of the diaspora.
Dr Jagdeo said the government is now translating many of those recommendations into policy and action plans.
“We won a big majority; seven seats, majority in the parliament. My role changed from General Secretary of the party and shifted from campaign to planning. We have to build 40,000 homes, to get a lot of issues addressed, to keep the economy going, and not to suffer from the Dutch Disease…[This] requires a lot of planning, and people don’t understand that sometimes, when you’re not in the public domain, you’re working, but working on things of a different nature,” Dr Jagdeo said.
The Vice-President also addressed recent public speculation about his reduced visibility over the past several months, making it clear that his attention had been focused on strategic planning and implementation behind the scenes.
“Now, I feel we have a lot of things in train, and I’m back in the public domain, addressing the implementation of these issues… I allow them to speculate about my absence; I don’t care too much about what they think about me personally, the opposition, etc. Once the country moves forward and our people receive assistance, that is what matters,” Dr Jagdeo said.
Dr Jagdeo stressed that the administration remains focused on ensuring continued economic growth while addressing housing, infrastructure, social services and employment opportunities for citizens across the country.
The outreach exercise at the ACCC attracted hundreds of people despite challenging weather conditions, with many citizens waiting for the chance to engage directly with ministers and senior officials about their concerns.
Government officials indicated that similar engagements could continue as part of efforts to strengthen communication between the administration and the public and to accelerate the delivery of services and development programmes nationwide.
Dr Bharrat Jagdeo was at his best when connecting with Guyanese citizens. His presence and words were enough to reassure the public that this government cares about their standard of living and that a fair deal would be offered to the business community.