United States Ambassador to Guyana Brent Hardt said Guyana and the US will continue to deepen the bonds of friendship and cooperation and pointed to the results of the November 28, 2011 as one manifestation of the successes of the collaboration between the two countries.
He was speaking last evening at a reception at his Turkeyen residence to mark the 231st anniversary of Independence of the United States of America.
“Saskia and I are truly delighted to welcome you to our home to celebrate the 236 Anniversary of American Independence. We are honoured to have Acting President [Sam] Hinds with us this evening together with so many distinguished Guyanese from government, business, civil society, the arts, the media, education and other walks of life. We have enjoyed getting to know you this past year and forging new partnerships to benefit our countries. We look forward to deepening these personal bonds and strengthening our partnerships in the years ahead,” he said.
“When we arrived in Guyana last September, I was determined to forge a mutually beneficial partnership between our countries to help build a safe and secure, democratic, prosperous, and healthy Guyana that would see the United States as a friend and ally,” said Hardt. “I was convinced that our countries shared goals that we could best advance by working together, and I have led our Embassy team to find creative new ways to work in that spirit,” he said.
He noted that it has been an eventful period, during which “we have accomplished much together.” He said that the US celebrated 50 years of USAID, which continued to support the growth of trade and investment in non-traditional areas.
“We worked together to bring new U.S. investors to Guyana and to prepare the way for oil and gas exploration. We continued our successful cooperation to defeat the scourge of HIV and AIDS. We deepened our security and law enforcement cooperation, as Guyana hosted the largest U.S. Special Forces Exercise in the Hemisphere, allowing our militaries to train and work together. We launched a new programme under President Obama’s Caribbean Basin Security Initiative to support youth at risk with new skills and job opportunities. And, we are working together to overcome domestic violence, develop capacity to combat human trafficking, and protect the environment to restore Guyana’s shine,” he said.
“On this day when we celebrate the birth of our democracy, I am especially pleased that the United States was able to continue its longstanding tradition of support to help ensure a free, fair, and peaceful election that yielded an historic result – one that I believe has given all Guyanese people a renewed sense that they have a seat at the democratic table and that their voice can be heard. And voices are being heard in the National Assembly, in the newspapers, and on the streets – and that is just the way it should be in a vibrant democracy,” he said.
He noted that it took nearly a century and a bitter Civil War to overcome the stain of slavery, and nearly another century after that to achieve the genuine civil rights reflective of our belief in equality. “Women waited over 150 years to secure their right to vote and more beyond that to attain broader equality. And today, the Gay and Lesbian community is pressing its case for equality and rightly demanding their rights to equality and a life free from discrimination,” he said.
“So today, 236 years after the courageous signatories to the Declaration of Indepen-dence overcame divisions to create our nation, the process of building it continues. It is perhaps useful to reflect on this history in the context of Guyana today. Many people look at current events, the heated debates in the Assembly and the sharp points and counterpoints in the media, and wonder where it will lead. To me, as a student of history, this `messiness’ is the medley of democracy in action,” Hardt said.
“As in the United States two centuries ago, progress will require compassionate leadership, a spirit of compromise, and a sense of a national interest to move forward. I am confident that Guyana, like the United States, will continue to come together as a nation with its own colourful tapestry and find ways to work in the national interest, even as it debates and discusses different approaches and priorities,” he said.
Speaking at the reception, Prime Minister Hinds, performing the functions of President said that as Guyana applauds the many achievements of the US and itself, there is a need for greater understanding of both countries’ respective situations, adding that there is a greater need for consultation and dialogue.
He called the United States a major player in world affairs which has been achieved by its drawing on the strength of its diversity.
Hinds said that the level of social and economic development which the US now enjoys is a manifestation of the hard work and endurance of its people in the preservation of their hard fought independence.
He said that Guyana is aware of the challenges of national development and gave credit to the US for helping to meet some of those challenges through its various programmes.
“We in Guyana speak proudly and often about the tremendous potential we have for significant growth and development. However, we are also painfully aware of the enormous challenges which confront us as a small developing state as we seek to pursue our national development objectives,” Hinds said.
He mentioned the PEPFAR programme as one of the areas of collaboration between the two countries and said that he looked forward to the enhancement of this and other programmes.
He also lauded the US’ support as part of the Millennium Challenge Account and the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative, within which the US is supporting Guyana’s fight against money laundering and other ills, and the strengthening of the Guyana Elections Commission.
