Guyana’s rapid economic expansion, driven by its oil sector, is leaving large segments of the population behind, according to trade union leader Lincoln Lewis, who warns that deepening inequality now threatens national stability and social cohesion. His analysis aligns with findings from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), which reported in 2025 that at least 58 percent of Guyana’s population lives in poverty, with 32 percent in abject poverty—figures many analysts believe may be even higher due to longstanding weaknesses in the country’s data collection systems.
In his Eye on Guyana column published in Village Voice News, Lewis—General Secretary of the Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC)—argued that despite headline growth figures, many citizens are seeing little improvement in their daily lives.
“Uneven development in our country continues to pose a clear and present threat to national development, peaceful coexistence, and harmony,” Lewis wrote.
Guyana has emerged as one of the world’s fastest-growing economies following major offshore oil discoveries, with institutions such as the World Bank projecting continued double-digit expansion. But Lewis cautioned that growth alone does not equate to shared prosperity.
“We are told, repeatedly, that the nation is growing—that we are the fastest-growing economy in the world. Few doubt that. But many doubt that there is any benefit in this economy for them.”
Growth Without Inclusion
Citing projections that Guyana’s economy will grow by approximately 17% this year, Lewis said such figures are unlikely to translate into meaningful gains for workers, youth, and vulnerable communities.
“The wealth continues to flow to a few elites who have consolidated themselves into a cabal, ensuring that they alone benefit, while the masses go hungry and there is pervasive want and poverty.”
He framed the issue not as one of development, but of systemic exclusion.
“What we are witnessing is not development; it is exclusion.”
Constitutional Ideals vs Reality
Lewis grounded his critique in Guyana’s constitutional framework, arguing that the country’s founding principles emphasise inclusion, participation, and shared benefit. He pointed to Article 13, which calls for citizen involvement in decision-making, as well as provisions that recognise the role of labour in national development.
“I continue to repeat… the importance of implementing and giving real meaning to Article 13 of the Constitution.”
However, he said these principles are not being realised in practice, particularly in relation to workers’ rights and wages.
“Yet we see no effort to create a new wage band. No serious move towards livable wages—real wages. No structured engagement with the trade union movement, despite repeated calls.”
Historical Struggle, Modern Frustration
Drawing on Guyana’s history—from Indigenous resistance to slavery and indentureship—Lewis argued that the nation’s founding vision was rooted in collective advancement, not concentrated wealth.
He invoked figures such as Hubert Nathaniel Critchlow, Forbes Burnham, Cheddi Jagan, Janet Jagan, and Jane Phillips Gay as part of a legacy that fought for equitable access to national wealth.
“They did not fight for a Guyana where wealth is hoarded by a cabal. They fought for a Guyana where all would participate in the nation’s bounty.”
Warning of Social Strain
Lewis warned that continued marginalisation could have serious consequences for social cohesion and political stability.
“People will not forever tolerate marginalisation. They will not forever accept being shut out from the benefits of this society.”
He criticised what he described as a dismissive approach to labour advocacy, stressing that calls for fairness should not be misconstrued as hostility.
“Advocacy is not hostility; it is the legitimate demand for what is just and fair.”
Call for Change
In a pointed conclusion, Lewis urged both government and opposition to engage meaningfully with citizens and address inequality before it deepens further.
“In a nation blessed with unprecedented wealth… the reality of pervasive poverty, corruption, marginalisation, and intolerance is suffocating.”
“We want to breathe. And we deserve to breathe.”
Lewis’ warning underscores a widening disconnect between economic growth and lived reality, raising urgent questions about who truly benefits from Guyana’s oil wealth—and how long those left behind will remain patient.
