Jagdeo: More jobs, homes and education for youths

Young people across Guyana can expect expanded opportunities in education, jobs, housing and entrepreneurship, General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo said on Thursday.

Speaking at his weekly press conference at Freedom House, he said the PPP is the only party that can “credibly promise” transformative development for young people, especially in hinterland and rural communities that have long faced barriers to progress.

Jagdeo said the expansion of high-speed internet would allow young people, including those in remote Indigenous communities, to pursue university degrees from home. He added that scholarships and targeted investments in education would continue, ensuring that students across the country have a fair chance to improve their qualifications and build successful careers.

On employment, the PPP general secretary said the government’s pro-business and pro-industry policies would create more rewarding jobs in sectors such as agriculture, mining, hospitality and the creative industries.

He acknowledged that part-time jobs had been introduced as a temporary measure but said the focus now is on transitioning youths into stable, better-paying positions. Special attention, he noted, would be given to hinterland and underserved coastal regions where job opportunities remain limited.

Reaffirming his party’s housing agenda, Jagdeo said a new PPP term would feature increased support for land distribution, house lot preparation and affordable housing construction. Special solutions would also be introduced for Indigenous communities where communal land arrangements complicate mortgage financing.

To reduce the cost of living, he pointed to initiatives such as removing bridge tolls, cutting electricity bills by 50 percent and lowering taxes on vehicles. These steps, he said, are aimed at helping young families save more as they start out.

He also cited zero-interest loans for young entrepreneurs and a dedicated financing window for women and youth to grow small and medium-sized businesses.

Jagdeo said young people can also expect continued investments in recreational and sporting facilities nationwide, describing them as vital to youth development and community life. He added that improved lighting, new roads and upgraded waste management systems were also planned to make communities safer and healthier for families.