President Bharrat Jagdeo says that law enforcers are working every day to bring the perpetrators of the two massacres this year to justice and he assured that the Guyanese people will be able to participate fully in debating proposals on how the country’s forests can be employed in the climate change fight.
In the 42nd Independence Anniversary address which was to be delivered at the flag-raising ceremony at the National Park last night, the President sought to reassure Guyanese about the January 26th Lusignan and February 17th Bartica massacres which convulsed the country and left many in deep fear. Noting that the country had been confronted internally by “evil forces”, Jagdeo said “Every day, the law enforcement agencies are working to bring to justice the perpetrators of the Lusignan and Bartica massacres, as well as other violent crimes. They are being supported by intelligence supplied by an ever widening group of Guyanese. To give continued support and impetus to the anti-crime initiatives and to ensure a broad-based national response, we will continue to engage national stakeholders in finding solutions to this dilemma. In addition to these measures, we are implementing practical initiatives through our Security Sector Strategy- actions which will significantly increase the long-term capability of our security services.”
Thus far only one person has been charged for the Lusignan slaughter and one for the Bartica massacre despite the fact that dozens of gunmen participated.
Spending a significant part of his address on the challenges and opportunities offered by climate change, the President pointed out that the Kyoto Protocol on greenhouse gases offered very little incentives to countries with forests.
He said if the goal of market-based incentives for forest preservation was realized there could be significant flows to countries like Guyana. Jagdeo noted that Guyana was joining with strategic partners across the world in this campaign and adverted to his public statements on several occasions that the country was open to receiving proposals on how its forests could be utilized to battle climate change.
“Much has been said about this, and not all of it is accurate, so I want to use tonight as an opportunity to repeat three fundamental points. One, Guyana’s sovereignty over our rainforest is not up for negotiation. Two, the legitimate development aspirations of our people will always come first, and three, when the time comes to discuss proposals for how we will implement this vision, all Guyanese will have the opportunity to participate fully in the debate on proposed solutions”, the President said.
The offer was first made by the President at the Commonwealth Finance Ministers meeting here last year and had raised eyebrows as political parties and others said they had not been consulted.
“I am confident that this national debate will show the world that our independent Guyana possesses a capacity to participate with the international community, not as a poor country looking for handouts but as a proud, independent nation with an understanding of how environmental vision can sustain prosperity and the path to social justice”, Jagdeo added.
The address, which was expected to be crowned by a fireworks display compliments of CLICO, also focused on the global economic situation and the cost of living pressures.
Highlighting that the oil price had zoomed from around US$25 per barrel to US$135 per barrel in around five years, Jagdeo said Guyana was not exempt from the contagion.
“My government is mindful of the increased cost of living facing the general population. We have responded by extending the range of zero-rated items, removed the import taxes on diesel, lowered the import duties on gasoline and provided a subsidy to prevent the price of bread from rising. Through the New Guyana Marketing Corporation we are making cheaper flour and rice available to consumers. We have further supported these interventions by making more money available to our citizens through increases in wages, pensions and social assistance, an increase in the income tax threshold and by providing a cost of living adjustment for public workers earning below $50,000 per month. In addition, we have for sometime now been absorbing electricity and water costs which would otherwise have had to be passed on to consumers. All of these measures are costing the Treasury billions of dollars”, the President stated.
He vowed that the government would ensure that social services – particularly health and education – were not compromised in efforts to cushion the impact of rising prices.
In addition, he said that the country was re-orienting its economy over the long-term via the national competitiveness strategy.
He asserted “These are not merely statements of aspirations. We are frequently seeing that many Guyanese businesses have the innovation and entrepreneurship to create new economic successes. One significant example is the rapid emergence of a vibrant Information and Communications technology-enabled outsourcing sector employing well in excess of 1000 persons and growing at more than 40% per year. This sector is on track to emerge as one of our major exporting segments of our economy within the next five years.
“The reaction of international customers to the Guyanese professionals who provide services in this industry is almost entirely positive, proving that Guyana can compete and win in a highly competitive global market-place. These developments should serve as an inspiration to innovators and entrepreneurs across our country – whether in diversified agriculture, agri-processing, eco tourism, aquaculture, value-added forestry products, or any of the newly emerging economic sectors, which along with the modernization of the traditional sectors of the economy will form the bedrock of the new economy that is evolving.”
He contended that rising fuel prices make investment in hydro-electricity far more enticing and that in time this may also enable Guyana to export electricity. Plans for hydro have been held up for many years over project financing.
Turning to the government’s `Grow More Food’ drive, Jagdeo said it was not just an emotive slogan but a call to action for farmers and businessmen “to think big and realise that we can build large-scale agri-businesses here in Guyana”.
He also sent best wishes to Guyana’s first President Arthur Chung who is in the hospital.
Referring to the challenges facing the country, the President said “We shall not retreat or succumb in the face of these adversities. If the independence we celebrate today is to mean anything, it should inspire us to draw from within ourselves a sense of confidence that there is a Guyanese destiny greater than the problems we face today, and that through a combination of vision and hard work we will overcome the challenges we face.”
