President Dr. Irfaan Ali, addressing the Guyanese diaspora in New York ahead of his participation in the United Nations General Assembly, delivered a sweeping speech at Russo on the Bay in Queens. The president reminded the audience that the era of division and disunity is behind the nation, declaring that the future belongs to a united Guyana built on the principles of One Guyana—a vision he described as people-centered, rooted in service, and bound together by love and resilience.
President Ali thanked overseas Guyanese for maintaining their connection to the homeland even while building lives abroad, noting that although many migrated for better opportunities, their hearts “still beat to the rhythm of Guyana.” He urged them to see themselves not as distant observers but as integral to the nation’s transformation. “Every member of the diaspora is entitled to be part of our present and our future,” he said, stressing that his government views the diaspora as partners in national development.
Additionally, the head of state informed the crowd of people on the Infrastructure that is being rapidly expanded in Guyana, with new bridges across the Demerara and Berbice Rivers, a deep-water harbor, major road connectivity projects, and the construction of 40,000 new homes planned over the next five years.
The president also stressed on Healthcare is being modernized through partnerships with world-class institutions such as Northwell and Mount Sinai, with 12 new state-of-the-art hospitals under construction and emergency services being restructured to meet international standards.
Education, he emphasized, is a cornerstone of opportunity, with free university education now available, nearly 40,000 scholarships offered through the Guyana Online Academy of Learning, and universal access to secondary education on the horizon. Social support programs are also being strengthened, including increases in pensions, cash grants for children and parents, subsidies for water, electricity, and fuel, and initiatives to promote home ownership as a foundation of financial security.
Despite the numerous amounts of developments, the president acknowledged concerns about security, assuring that technology-driven policing, nationwide CCTV systems, and modernized crime-fighting tools are already delivering results, with serious crime rates now at historic lows. He pointed to Guyana’s recognition as the fastest-growing economy in the world and underscored its emerging global role as a leader in food security, energy security, and climate action. “We are no longer the land that people run from,” he declared. “We are now the land that people are running towards.”
Turning to the diaspora directly, Ali urged them to invest, return, and contribute to Guyana’s transformation. He promised investment opportunities tailored for overseas Guyanese, new healthcare and education partnerships that would benefit their children, and a re-energized diaspora unit to serve as a bridge between Guyana and its citizens abroad. He made clear that the government’s development plans are not abstract promises but visible, tangible progress unfolding in real time.
