 The governor, Sir Gordon Lethem, created the country's first Ten-Year Development Plan (led by Sir Oscar Spencer, the Economic Adviser to the Governor and Alfred P. Thorne, Assistant to the Economic Adviser), reduced property qualifications for office holding and voting, and made elective members a majority on the Legislative Council in 1943.Under the aegis of the Lend-Lease Act of 1941, a modern air base (now Timehri Airport) was constructed by United States troops.By the end of World War II, British Guiana's political system had been widened to encompass more elements of society and the economy's foundations had been strengthened by increased demand for bauxite.