President Dr. Irfaan Ali will today embark on a series of public consultations across four Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara) communities.
The engagements form part of the government’s Model Village Initiative, an ambitious programme aimed at giving residents a direct voice in shaping the future development of their communities.
According to notices issued by the Government of Guyana, the consultations will be held in Leonora, Zeelugt, Tuschen and Goed Fortuin on Monday, August 3, 2026.
The meetings will provide residents with an opportunity to engage directly with the Head of State on issues affecting their communities while contributing ideas for future development.
The day’s engagements will begin at 9:00 a.m. at Leonora Secondary School on the West Coast Demerara before continuing to Zeelugt Primary School on the East Bank Essequibo at 11:00 a.m.
The President will then meet with residents at Tuschen Secondary School at 1:00 p.m. before concluding the consultations at Goed Fortuin Primary School on the West Bank Demerara at 3:00 p.m.
The public meetings form part of the government’s wider Model Village Initiative, which is intended to place communities at the centre of local development by allowing residents to identify priorities, highlight challenges and propose solutions for improving the places where they live.
Each consultation has been designed to encourage meaningful public participation, with residents invited to share their ideas, raise community concerns and help shape the future development of their respective communities.
The government has also emphasised that “Your voice matters,” urging residents to work alongside policymakers to build “stronger, safer, cleaner and more prosperous” villages.
The initiative reflects the administration’s emphasis on participatory governance, with citizens expected to play an active role in influencing future development programmes rather than simply responding to projects after they have been designed.
The consultations are expected to cover a broad range of community issues, including infrastructure, drainage and irrigation, roads, sanitation, public safety, recreational facilities, environmental management, education, health services and other concerns identified by residents.
The meetings are expected to help establish development priorities unique to each community, allowing government agencies to better tailor interventions based on residents’ needs and recommendations.
The initiative also seeks to strengthen collaboration between communities and government by creating a structured forum where citizens can engage directly with the President and raise issues affecting their daily lives.
The Region Three consultations follow similar engagements announced for several East Bank Demerara communities as the government expands the Model Village Initiative to different parts of the country.
Residents of the four communities are being encouraged to attend and actively participate in the discussions.
Monday’s consultation schedule
9:00 a.m. – Leonora Secondary School, Leonora, West Coast Demerara
11:00 a.m. – Zeelugt Primary School, Zeelugt, East Bank Essequibo
1:00 p.m. – Tuschen Secondary School, Tuschen, East Bank Essequibo
3:00 p.m. – Goed Fortuin Primary School, Goed Fortuin, West Bank Demerara
The consultations will be led by President Ali as the government continues to advance its vision of community-led development through the nationwide Model Village Initiative
