Dear Editor,
We, the rightful heirs of this soil, are facing an existential question: in the next decade, will we still be able to say this land—and the resources within it—belong to us?
In 2023, President Irfaan Ali, speaking at the Guyana-Canada Chamber of Commerce Dinner and Awards, made two pronouncements of national consequence. First, that Guyana no longer has large acreage of coastal land available for development. According to Ali, “the reality is that we don’t have that land now on the coast.”
Second, that Guyana’s population could reach three million by 2030. “This is just the reality,” he said. “I’m telling you the reality of a Guyana 2030 and what we’re building, where we’re heading.”
The question is: who is building, and for whom?
After decades of governance under the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), and with leadership shaped by Bharrat Jagdeo and his protégé President Ali, the nation cannot afford complacency. The track record demands scrutiny, not blind acceptance.
There are already reasons to question official narratives. The 2022 census, released in 2026, reported Guyana’s population at 878,674—up from approximately 750,000. Several analysts have raised concerns about this figure, noting that it appears inconsistent with known birth, death, and migration trends. If the current data is already under question, then projections of a population reaching three million within the next four years must be treated with even greater caution.
For decades, Guyana’s population growth has remained relatively modest, constrained by migration and other structural factors. A sudden expansion of this magnitude cannot be explained by natural growth. It suggests either large-scale inward migration or statistical projections that demand independent verification.
This matter goes to the heart of national sovereignty, planning, and identity.
Equally concerning is the issue of land. If, as the President claims, coastal lands are no longer available, then the nation must ask: how were these lands allocated, to whom, and under what terms? There must be a comprehensive, independent audit of land distribution, reviewed at the highest level—Parliament—so that citizens can be assured that national assets are not being concentrated in the hands of a few.
The Opposition cannot afford silence. This cannot become another “no interest” moment. Too much is at stake here.
A population of three million would fundamentally alter the demographic composition of Guyana. It raises legitimate concerns about whether Guyanese could become a minority in their own country—not through organic growth, but through policies or practices that are neither transparent nor nationally debated.
There are already signals that demand attention. Reports indicate growing Venezuelan and Brazilian presence in several regions. Migration, in itself, is not the issue. The issue is unplanned, unmanaged, and unaccountable migration—without a clear national policy, without safeguards, and without a strategy that prioritizes the welfare of citizens.
Guyana is still a young nation, still shaping its identity. Any population expansion must be deliberate, strategic, and transparent. Unplanned immigration places pressure on housing, healthcare, education, infrastructure, and social services. It risks depressing wages, especially for the working class, as foreign labour may accept lower pay and fewer protections.
If immigration is necessary, it must be targeted—focused on skilled, technical labour shortages—and tied to clear national development goals. There must also be systems for training Guyanese and defined timelines for integration or exit.
The socioeconomic consequences cannot be ignored. According to international assessments, a significant portion of the population remains poor. Wages have not kept pace with the rising cost-of-living and Guyana’s high-income-status.
Pensions remain inadequate. Introducing large-scale population changes without addressing these realities risks deepening inequality and social strain.
The government must answer fundamental questions—what is the plan, who benefits, and how will the interests of Guyanese citizens be protected? Under the law, the government is accountable to the people, and three years after Irfaan Ali’s proclamation—whether framed as vision, boast or idle chat—the nation is still waiting for clear answers.
This nation cannot be built on uncertainty, speculation, or exclusion. It requires transparency, accountability, and a commitment to ensuring that development does not come at the expense of those who call this land home.