标签： Guyana

In their respective New Year addresses for 2026, Guyana’s President Irfaan Ali and opposition leader Aubrey Norton presented competing visions of governance while both emphasizing commitments to democratic principles. President Ali, leading the People’s Progressive Party Civic administration, made a personal pledge to govern with “integrity, discipline, and compassion,” vowing to prioritize national interests and practice attentive leadership. Meanwhile, APNU leader Norton positioned his party as a government watchdog, promising to vigorously challenge any perceived lapses in transparency, accountability, or rule of law. The exchange occurs against a backdrop of corruption allegations against government ministers from We Invest in Nationhood party leader Azruddin Mohamed, which have been denied by Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha and Tourism Minister Susan Rodrigues. Norton framed the political struggle as a defense against “corruption and dictatorial myopia,” urging citizens to reject the current administration and instead envision a future where oil wealth translates to improved quality of life for all Guyanese, particularly youth, Indigenous communities, and public servants. APNU parliamentary leader Dr. Terrence Campbell reinforced this message in a separate address, calling for enhanced public security and an end to discrimination based on ethnicity, gender, or sexual orientation.

Guyana’s political leadership has presented divergent blueprints for the nation’s burgeoning oil revenues in their New Year addresses, setting the stage for a consequential policy debate in 2026. Opposition Leader Aubrey Norton of the People’s National Congress Reform (APNU) advocated for radical redistribution of petroleum earnings, while President Irfaan Ali detailed concrete economic measures including tax reductions and wage enhancements.

Norton emphasized the urgent need to address Guyana’s alarming poverty rate exceeding 50 percent, arguing that current resource allocation predominantly benefits wealthy elites while exacerbating economic disparities. “The government should change the pattern of allocation of resources from benefitting the few and making the rich richer and the poor poorer,” Norton asserted in his message. He called for a fundamental reorientation toward people-centered policies that would ensure all Guyanese citizens share in the nation’s natural resource wealth.

The opposition leader, whose party suffered a significant electoral defeat in September 2025, pledged to reinvent his political approach, promising to become “the solid choice for development focused governance” in the coming year. He stressed that the unprecedented oil revenues demand a comprehensive strategic plan specifically designed to benefit ordinary citizens.

President Ali countered with specific economic commitments for 2026, announcing that national prosperity would directly translate into improved individual and community circumstances. His administration plans to increase disposable income through a three-pronged approach: direct financial support, elevated wages, and reduced taxation. Beyond fiscal measures, Ali outlined ambitious social programs including accelerated housing development to create “a nation of homeowners grounded in security and dignity.”

The President also revealed plans to bolster the creative sector through investments in artistic and cultural entrepreneurship, terming this initiative the growth of Guyana’s “orange economy.” Additionally, communities nationwide are slated to receive infrastructure upgrades including improved road networks, enhanced lighting systems, recreational playgrounds, and modern sporting facilities.

Guyanese President Irfaan Ali has vigorously defended his administration’s decision to appoint and swear in a seven-member Teaching Service Commission (TSC) despite the absence of an officially recognized Opposition Leader, a position required by the constitution for meaningful consultation on such appointments.

Addressing concerns raised by journalists, President Ali asserted that governmental and constitutional processes must proceed uninterrupted. “The work of the government must continue. The work of the Constitution must continue,” he stated during Wednesday’s proceedings. The President emphasized that the commission’s establishment was crucial for improving educational quality and creating advancement opportunities for teachers, with Education Minister Sonia Parag having stressed the importance of constituting the body before the new school term.

The political backdrop reveals a complex constitutional standoff. Speaker of the National Assembly Manzoor Nadir has yet to convene opposition parliamentarians to elect a leader for the 16-seat We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) party. The anticipated candidate, Azruddin Mohamed, faces extradition requests from the United States over financial crime allegations, with Attorney General Anil Nandlall previously warning that Mohamed’s appointment would tarnish the nation’s reputation.

Opposition parliamentarian Ganesh Mahipaul of APNU condemned the presidential move as “constitutional erosion,” accusing the administration of displaying “a maturing dictatorship unfolding before our eyes.” Mahipaul further criticized the international community for remaining silent on these constitutional developments while engaging diplomatically with the Ali government.

The President referenced a five-month-old legal precedent wherein Chief Justice Roxane George-Wiltshire had ruled that appointing a Police Commissioner without opposition consultation was constitutionally permissible out of necessity. When questioned about gender assumptions regarding the future opposition leader, Ali noted the decision would depend on parliamentary voting, remarking, “I don’t know that the Opposition Leader will be a ‘he’ or a ‘she’.”

The newly inaugurated TSC, chaired by Doodmattie Singh alongside six other members including Chief Education Officer Saddam-Hussain, faces immediate challenges with 2,700 senior vacancies created by the government to enhance educational quality. President Ali highlighted that these positions would facilitate faster career advancement for teachers who traditionally “had to wait all their life, close to retirement to become head teachers.”

A legal and administrative confrontation is unfolding in Georgetown, Guyana, as City Mayor Alfred Mentore prepares to challenge a High Court order mandating the removal of street vendors operating outside Yhip’s Bakery at the intersection of Robb and Alexander Streets. The dispute centers on a February 2025 letter from Attorney Dexter Smartt, representing bakery beneficiary Troy Yhip, which appeals for a six-month extension allowing vendors—described as “persons of little means”—to relocate. Smartt argued that his client had originally permitted the vendors to operate there and that not all property beneficiaries were aware of the initial court proceedings.

Town Clerk Candace Nelson, however, maintains that the Mayor’s position is legally untenable. She emphasized that the mandamus order—issued by Justice Priya Sewnarine-Beharry in November 2024 and served in December—cannot be superseded by a letter submitted months after the ruling. Nelson revealed that Mayor Mentore had promised to contest the order in court but has yet to do so.

The conflict intensified when municipal workers aborted a planned eviction operation on Sunday following a meeting between the Mayor and vendors. This inaction has prompted contempt proceedings filed by Suzanne Pemberton, who holds power-of-attorney for property owner Albert Yhip. Pemberton’s application, now before Justice Fidela Corbin-Lincoln, seeks the imprisonment of Nelson and City Engineer Colvern Venture for “wilful disobedience” of the court order.

The case highlights tensions between local government authority and judicial oversight, with a hearing on the contempt motion scheduled for January 9, 2026.