Dear Editor,
I take this opportunity to express profound gratitude and appreciation to our Minister of Foreign Affairs Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett for initiating and facilitating the bilateral agreement between the Government of Guyana and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for immigration officials from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to visit Georgetown, Guyana during October, 2011 to issue Hajj visas for all Guyanese who will be performing the obligatory Islamic rituals of Hajj in Mecca, Saudi Arabia during November, 2011.
This is another milestone for the Minister, since she has championed many causes for the people of Guyana, especially the plight of our Amerindians brothers and sisters during her seven years tenure as Minister of Amerindian Affairs.
In the past Guyanese who desired to perform the obligatory Islamic rituals in Mecca would be faced with the additional financial, physical and security burdens of either travelling to Venezuela or Brazil to obtain the requisite visas.
However, this will now be a thing of the past with the precedent now set by the Minister of Foreign Affairs.
We hope this undertaking is the beginning of a great bond and friendship between the Government of Guyana and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Yours faithfully,
Nazar Mohamed
