US Charge d’Affaires Bryan Hunt last evening said that despite the criticisms from skeptics, expanded cooperation between the US Drug Enforcement Administra-tion (DEA) and local law enforcement agencies will dismantle the drug flow in Guyana and that the two countries are exploring new avenues for collaboration.
“Cocaine seizures at the airport and ports have continued to increase as information sharing and law enforcement collaboration between our two governments has grown,” Hunt said, adding that Guyana law enforcement agencies have already made significant seizures in the last year, not least of which was finding the self-propelled semi-submersible in the interior and putting that operation out of business.
Hunt was speaking at the US Embassy’s celebration of its country’s 239th Independence Anniversary at the Marriott Hotel, which saw a large cross-section of the Guyanese society in attendance.
And unlike last year, which saw former US Ambassador Brent Hardt on the receiving end of a ‘feral blast’ from former education minister Priya Manickchand, Hunt’s presentation, which was funny in parts, was well received. He himself recalled it, as he said that 2015 is a transformative year in the relationship between the two countries as last year Manickchand was delivering her “infamous” feral blast to Hardt based on his “supposedly radical demands for local government elections.”
While his remarks were met with applause there may have been a few who were uncomfortable, among them former home affairs minister Clement Rohee, and former natural resources minister Robert Persaud. Also in the audience was head of the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL) Winston Brassington who has come under tremendous pressure for the way taxpayers’ money was spent in the building of the very Marriott Hotel, and who the new administration has signalled its intention to remove since he does not enjoy its confidence.
Last year Manickchand was jeered and booed during her remarks at the reception hosted at the ambassador’s residence. Her statements came in wake of the ambassador’s criticism of the excuses given by the Donald Ramotar administration and the then president himself for not holding local government elections. She had accused the ambassador of crossing “the red line.”
Expressing his thanks for the many learning opportunities Hunt said he now understands the definition of feral blast, the intricacies of prorogation and the critical importance of international election observation.
Imparting a final hint, he said he hoped the “next lesson will be on how to form a vibrant parliamentary opposition.” The PPP/C has challenged the elections in the courts saying that it was not free and fair and is yet to take up its 32 seats in the National Assembly.
The Charge d’Affaires pledged support for the new government as it prepares to hold local government elections by the end of this year. He also said that while last year the US was seriously concerned about the “economic and law enforcement implications of the Guyana government’s failure to pass the new anti-money laundering act” it is now offering support for the implementation of the act which was passed last Friday.
Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo, who is performing the duties of President, promised that there would never be another feral blast.
“I wish to lift that curse of damnation… and to acknowledge that [Hardt’s] advocacy for local government elections has borne fruit with the tabling in the National Assembly of the Local Government bill to pave the way for these elections,” Prime Minister Nagamootoo said to applause.
As regards the anti-money laundering bill, the Prime Minister said that the National Assembly has lifted the grey clouds with its passage. “This is only the beginning of a new vibrant and democratic parliament that also embraces the ideals of liberty in the pursuit of happiness for all of our peoples,” he added.
He pledged that good governance and national unity are what the new government is pursuing with vigour especially after the elections which were “certified to be fair and free.” He thanked Hunt for the role the US played in many ways in the process and also supporting observer missions.
“Those elections are now happily behind us and our people have embraced the change and embarked on a nationwide cleanup campaign, metaphorically. We hope to get rid of bad governance, corruption and lack of accountability,” Nagamootoo said.
Hinting at his awareness of the many challenges and road blocks that may impede the journey, he highlighted “the spurious threat to our sovereignty and territorial integrity.” This was in reference to the May 26 Venezuelan Decree.
“Today I can say with confidence that in the face of provocation, our Guyana is not without friends. We are not daunted as we strengthen national and international collaboration in the defence of our sovereignty and promote the Caribbean and South America as a zone of peace…” Prime Minister Nagamootoo said.
More help
Meanwhile, Hunt said that the US wants to help Guyana to further explore alternative sources of energy, including hydropower. He said that new and creative ways must be sought to lower the cost of electricity so that residents and businesses can enjoy the benefits associated with lower energy costs. While there is excitement about the prospects of the significant oil discovery in the Stabroek Block, Hunt said the optimism must be tempered as even “the most rosy predictions call for years before potential benefits will be realized.”
He said that the US government stands by the Guyana government and ExxonMobil as they work together to extract natural resources in a responsible manner that protects the environment.
Speaking about the progress the two countries have made, Hunt pointed out that both have emerged stronger from bad experiences such as the racial discord in Ferguson, Balti-more and New York in the US and in Guyana it came in the “form of ethnically divisive rhetoric on the campaign trail.”
