Homecoming, film, tourism and culture at heart of 60th independence plans

President Ali during the briefing on Tuesday

Guyana will mark its 60th Independence anniversary as a large-scale homecoming for the diaspora and a springboard for the expansion of its Orange Economy, with major public and private investments planned in culture, tourism, film, entertainment and national infrastructure.
President Dr Irfaan Ali, speaking during an in-depth interview with female journalists and students on Tuesday, said the milestone would be remembered as a defining moment when “mindset met transformation”, opening a new phase of people-centred development and long-term wealth creation.
“Our 60th anniversary gives us an enormous opportunity to kickstart investment in the Orange Economy,” the President said. “I want it to be known as an era in which our culture, food, people, artists and ecosystem are deployed at a scale and magnitude never seen in this region before.”
Ali said the government plans heavy investment in a local film industry, entertainment hubs and structured income opportunities for artists, alongside the expansion of Guyana’s tourism offerings and efforts to attract major cruise lines.
Planned projects include the redevelopment of the entire Georgetown seawall, the creation of green spaces and walking trails, and curated cultural and heritage tours, including island and hinterland experiences.
Lamaha Street will be transformed into a living historical corridor where citizens and visitors can “walk through the history of Guyana, pre-independence,” as part of a broader environmental and aesthetic upgrade of the capital, he said.
The President also called on the private sector to channel a significant share of corporate social spending this year toward supporting the Orange Economy, noting that the anniversary celebrations will be event-packed and nationally inclusive, with culture, tourism and heritage at the forefront.
“Our 60th anniversary will be a grand homecoming, bringing our brothers and sisters from the diaspora back home to celebrate, reconnect and invest,” he said.
Beyond the celebrations, Ali said the anniversary year would reinforce a national shift toward productivity and wealth creation, warning against reduced work effort during a period of rising incomes.
“Wealth creation is not accidental. It is planned at the national level through policies and programmes, but it is felt at the community level,” he said, stressing the need to maximise productive time and earning potential as the economy advances.
Ali said the 60th anniversary would also signal the start of the next 100 years of generational development, supported by new airports at Ogle and Lethem, upgraded hinterland airstrips, gas-to-energy facilities in Berbice, fertiliser and glass factories, data centres and an emerging energy and logistics hub.
“We want bold, innovative wealth creation, not in a shy way,” the President said. “This is about building a strong, beautiful economy that every Guyanese can be proud of.”
He said the anniversary would stand as a historic turning point, when people, technology and policy converged to shape a new Guyana defined by opportunity, ownership and shared prosperity. (DPI)