Guyana’s oil wealth must create inclusive development — Lincoln Lewis — Opinion

Guyana’s oil wealth must create inclusive development

October 6, 2026·3 min read

Dear Editor,

President Irfaan Ali has spoken of Guyana experiencing a movement of people that could bring the country’s population to about three million by 2030.^[1] That statement must place migration squarely within the national conversation.

Migration itself is not the problem. The concern is what happens when large numbers of people enter the country while Guyanese continue to leave in search of better wages, education, healthcare and opportunities elsewhere—and whether Guyanese will retain a meaningful economic, political and social stake in the country they built.

We cannot be indifferent to the possibility that Guyanese could become a smaller proportion of the population while simultaneously being pushed to the margins of their own country’s economic and political life. In a society already struggling with division and questions about inclusion, such a demographic and economic shift demands serious national discussion rather than political silence.

Guyana cannot pretend that all is well while the country’s wealth expands, its population changes and its people remain divided along political, ethnic and economic lines. A nation cannot call itself developed while its own citizens increasingly question whether they have a meaningful stake in the wealth beneath their feet, the opportunities created by that wealth and the decisions determining their future.

Our history of ethnic rivalry and political tension should have taught us that exclusion breeds resentment, destroys trust and weakens the bonds that hold a society together. Instead of confronting these dangers honestly, Guyana risks allowing economic inequality, political division and unequal access to opportunity to deepen.

Guyana’s oil wealth and other natural resources must not produce a country in which citizens are spectators to prosperity. Development must mean more than impressive economic statistics, large infrastructure projects and rising national revenues. It must mean Guyanese having access to decent work, owning businesses, participating in decision-making, securing opportunities for their children and having confidence that their country has a place for them.

If these matters are not confronted now, the consequences could become far more difficult to reverse.

The trade union movement therefore places renewed emphasis on advancing international charters, conventions and laws and putting programmes in place that make social cohesion meaningful through greater inclusion, civic participation and opportunities for upward mobility.

The United Nations describes social cohesion as “the glue that holds society together.”^[2] Its analysis rests on three important values: social inclusion, social capital and social mobility. It is a condition for Guyana’s survival as a stable and democratic society.

Social inclusion means every citizen and group has a genuine opportunity to participate in the economic, social and political life of the country. Guyana’s Constitution calls on us to “Celebrate our cultural and racial diversity and strengthen our unity by eliminating any and every form of discrimination.”^[3]

Inclusion must be visible in who gets jobs, who benefits from national resources, who participates in decision-making and who has access to opportunity.

The Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC) is on record repeatedly calling for constitutional protections covering inclusionary democracy, economic development, freedom of association, protection from discrimination and trade union participation in State decision-making. These obligations are reinforced by Guyana’s international commitments on human and labour rights.

Social capital is about trust between citizens and trust in institutions. That trust cannot survive if Guyanese believe that political connections, ethnicity or privilege determine who benefits from the country’s transformation. The GTUC has in the public domain a Labour’s Platform for Guyana that advances sustainable development, decent jobs and full employment, stronger democracy and governance, and social and labour rights.^[4]

Social mobility means having a real opportunity to improve one’s circumstances. Migration exposes this challenge. Guyanese continue to leave because of wages, limitations in health and education and the search for professional opportunities. The loss of graduates and skilled workers is a national development issue. Guyana must create conditions that retain its human capital and encourage those abroad to return.

Gender equality is part of that equation. Women are performing strongly in education, yet qualified women remain underrepresented in decision-making. At the same time, declining educational outcomes among Guyanese boys require urgent attention. A country cannot afford to leave either half of its population behind.

Guyana must also modernise its data systems so decisions are driven by evidence rather than convenience, and establish an equitable tax system in which the privileged few cannot avoid their fair contribution to national development.

Guyana is becoming richer, but that does not automatically mean Guyanese are becoming more secure, included or empowered. Oil wealth gives us an opportunity to break from the failures of the past. But if wealth is concentrated, opportunity restricted and citizens excluded from decisions affecting their future, economic growth could intensify the very divisions social cohesion is meant to overcome.

Guyana therefore needs more than development; it needs inclusive development. The nation’s wealth must create decent work, broaden opportunity, strengthen institutions and give every Guyanese a reason to believe they belong in the future being built.

Yours faithfully,
Lincoln Lewis

References

Migration policy to prepare Guyana for three million people ... — dpi.gov.gy ↩
Perspectives on social cohesion – the glue that holds society together | UN DESA | United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs — www.un.org ↩
GUYANA ACT No. 6 of 2001 CONSTITUTION (AMENDMENT) (No. 4) ACT 2001 — parliament.gov.gy ↩
GTUC 2019 Proposals Called for Inclusive Governance and Shared Oil Wealth – Village Voice News — villagevoicenews.com ↩

Migration policy to prepare Guyana for three million people ...

dpi.gov.gy · 2026-09-26

Migration policy to prepare Guyana for three million people moving through its economy by 2030 – Pres Ali – Department of Public Information, Guyana # Migration policy to prepare Guyana for three million people moving through its economy by 2030 – Pres Ali September 26, 2026 The government is crafting a migration policy to meet the labour demands of Guyana’s transforming economy. This is according to President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali. Speaking in a special interview with journalist Kiana Wilburg on Guyana-Qatar relations, the president said the country is already depending on foreign workers to sustain its growth, particularly in construction. > “Can you imagine a construction sector without the foreign workers now?” he asked. The head of state pointed to Qatar, which built its economy with the help of imported talent, noting that the Gulf nation sits close to large labour markets in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, the Phillipines, and China. President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali > > “Here in Guyana, we are far away from large labour markets. But as a matter of necessity, we now have labour that is being imported,” he said. President Ali projected that the number of people entering Guyana for business, leisure and work will climb sharply by the end of the decade. > > > “I see an economy by 2030 where at least three million people willl be passing through this economy…And that by itself creates it own demand,” he said. He explained that the new policy must be able to supply the human capital needed as Guyana brings its natural gas onshore to power new industries, including a large-scale urea plant, an alumina plant and hyperscale date centres. > > “We have to have a flexible, dynamic, modern migration policy to deal with what would be our needs and requirements in the future,” President Ali stated. The head of state also said Guyanese overseas are central to the plan, with many already returning home to open businesses and find their place in the country’s development. ### Ministry of Agriculture (Fisheries Dept.) – Invitation for Bids – Supply and Delivery of Diesel, Aquaculture Cage Mesh

Source

Guyana’s oil wealth must create inclusive development in Kiskadee Watch, October 6, 2026

GTUC 2019 Proposals Called for Inclusive Governance and Shared Oil Wealth – Village Voice News

villagevoicenews.com · 2026-04-19

In 2019, before first oil production began, the Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC) advanced a comprehensive framework aimed at strengthening inclusive governance and ensuring that the anticipated benefits of oil wealth would reach all citizens. The proposals, submitted to then President David Granger and Leader of the Opposition Bharrat Jagdeo—with a copy also shared with the Civil Society Forum—were intended to guide national dialogue and inform legislative, policy, and programme development aimed at giving practical effect to constitutional provisions on participatory democracy, particularly Article 13. ... Central to the GTUC’s recommendations was the management of the oil and gas sector. The organisation called for a Local Content Policy to be reviewed by stakeholders, taken to Parliament, and enacted into law. It further urged that “primacy be given to Guyanese,” stressing that the rights and well-being of local businesses and workers must be protected through strong legislation. The proposal also called for preferential treatment where goods, services, and labour are locally available, supported by training and education to ensure competitiveness. ... The GTUC also outlined a series of governance reforms aimed at strengthening accountability and inclusivity. Among them was a proposal that at least 50 percent of state boards include representatives from political parties in the National Assembly, proportionate to their representation, with the remainder drawn from other stakeholders. The organisation further called for the establishment of the Human Rights Commission to give effect to constitutional protections under “Protection of the Individual Fundamental Rights and Freedoms,” ensuring that no group is excluded. ... , the GTUC recommended that constitutional commissions, tribunals, and boards remain operational beyond their official term until new bodies ... The proposals also addressed representation and social protection. The GTUC called for amendments to electoral laws to guarantee that at least one-third of those seated in the National Assembly are women, moving beyond current requirements that apply only to candidate lists. For senior citizens, the organisation urged the expansion of social services, stating that “retirement must ensure continuity of dignity not the beginning of deprivation.” Youth engagement was also prioritised, with recommendations for structured programmes—developed with young people themselves—to ensure their active participation in national development. ... In an effort to deepen parliamentary engagement, the GTUC proposed that the national budget should require at least 60 percent support from all elected members of the National Assembly for passage. This, it argued, would encourage broader consultation and more equitable distribution of resources. The judiciary was another area of concern. The GTUC called for full staffing of the courts, confirmation of key judicial positions, and a review of the constitutional process for appointing the Chancellor and Chief Justice, noting that a stable judiciary is essential to good governance and public confidence. ... The proposals were anchored in the Constitution of Guyana, particularly Article 13, which states that “the principal objective of the system of the State is to establish an inclusionary democracy by providing increasing opportunities for the participation of citizens, and their organisations in the management and decision-making processes of the State.” They also referenced Article 38, which outlines the duty of the State, trade unions, and other organisations to work collectively toward economic development and the realisation of citizens’ rights. The GTUC maintained that achieving these objectives requires legislative action, policy reform, and sustained consultation with stakeholders—an argument that has taken on added urgency as Guyana’s oil wealth continues to expand.