ANNA REGINA, REGION TWO — President Dr. Irfaan Ali used the campaign stage in Essequibo over the weekend not just to rally support, but to signal a shift in how the government envisions regional development: moving beyond roads and cash grants toward building local centres of excellence in education and health care.
Speaking at a well-attended rally in the Anna Regina Market Square, President Ali promised that a re-elected People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) government will expand higher education and health infrastructure in Region Two, including a medical school, an engineering faculty, and a modern dialysis facility.
“You’re not just voting on September 1 for what we’ve already done,” Ali told the crowd. “You’re voting for your children’s chance to become doctors, engineers, and trained professionals, right here in Essequibo.”
The announcement signals a more regionally embedded approach to human development, with the president emphasizing that the government’s next term would see Region Two positioned as more than a beneficiary of national projects, it would become a driver of its own growth.
Ali tied these future plans to his administration’s existing investments in Region Two, including the construction of a new regional hospital and the expansion of training programmes for nurses and teachers. He noted that over 4,000 residents of Region Two have already received GOAL scholarships in the last five years, with training for educators and health workers taking place within the region itself.
“We are not just giving out grants and walking away,” the president said. “We’re building the systems so people here can stay here, study here, and work here.”
The rally also revisited past tensions between the PPP/C and the former A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) coalition, particularly over education policy. Ali criticised a former opposition minister for previously questioning why students in Essequibo were sitting for up to 18 CSEC/CXC subjects, a comment he said reflected a lack of belief in the region’s potential.
“They couldn’t imagine that students from Region Two were not just keeping up, but outperforming others across the Caribbean,” he told supporters.
In the health sector, the president reaffirmed his government’s continued support for patients requiring dialysis, pointing to the $600,000 annual grant now in place and pledging that a full-service dialysis centre will be built in Essequibo under a new term.
While critics often argue that the PPP/C’s campaign promises can be heavy on pledges, the inclusion of a medical school and engineering faculty may reflect an effort to shift political messaging toward long-term development and self-sufficiency at the regional level.
President Ali’s remarks suggest a growing emphasis on decentralisation, not just in service delivery, but in opportunity creation. If realised, these projects could begin to counter the longstanding trend of migration from rural regions to Georgetown or abroad in search of education and health services.
Still, many residents will be watching closely to see whether these ambitions materialise beyond the campaign season. For now, the message from the president was clear: Region Two won’t just be served; it will be empowered.
