Jagdeo’s tenure as President saw major economic and social reforms in Guyana. When he demitted office, Guyana was concluding its fifth consecutive year of strong economic growth, often out-pacing all other countries in South America. External debt had been almost halved, and external reserves were almost three times their 2006 level. Unprecedented investment in social services took place during the Jagdeo Presidency, enabling significantly improved access to education, rehabilitation of the health system, far-reaching land reform, the biggest expansion of the housing sector in Guyana’s history, expansion of the water and sanitation systems, and large-scale development of the road, river and air transport networks. New public procurement and competition laws were passed, and reforms to the tax, fiscal and investment regimes were implemented.
In his final term as President, President Jagdeo became a global advocate for international action to avert the worst extremes of climate change – and was described by the Chairman of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, R K Pachauri as “one of perhaps half a dozen Heads of Government who truly understands the issue.â€. In line with the President's global advocacy, Guyana’s Low Carbon Development Strategy sets out a national scale, replicable model to protect Guyana’s 18 million hectare forest, address the 17% of global greenhouse gas emissions that result from deforestation and forest degradation, and re-orient the Guyanese economy onto a long-term “low deforestation, low carbon, climate resilient trajectoryâ€. As part of building this global model, Norway is partnering with Guyana to provide up to US$250 million by 2015 for avoided greenhouse gas emissions from Guyana’s forest. Guyana is using these payments and domestic resources to attract private investment to opportunities in clean energy and new low carbon economic sectors, as well as to make significant public investments in other social and economic priorities. This has been described by CDKN, the UK-based climate policy network as "maybe the most progressive low carbon development strategy in a low income (sic) country."[11]
Jagdeo was a signatory to The UNASUR Constitutive Treaty of the Union of South American Nations in May 2008. Guyana has ratified the treaty. In November 2009, Jagdeo hosted the Heads of Government of South America in Georgetown, as he took over the one year Pro Tempore Presidency of Unasur.
On November 26, 2011, Jagdeo made a far-reaching farewell address ahead of the nation's elections on November 28, 2011. He spoke of accomplishments, such as the economy and defense issues, and emphasised his optimism in the future of Guyana.
By Trevor SAMAROO
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