President David Granger said along with firm national support, if the Caribbean Community stands in solidarity with Guyana against Vene-zuela’s claim to most of Guyana’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) the nation can overcome this stumbling block.
Granger made these remarks in his address at a reception held at the home of Guyana’s Consul-General to Barbados, Michael Brotherson, on July 2nd. The president and Foreign Affairs Minister Carl Greenidge were the guests of honour at the gathering held in Barbados to welcome the Guyana delegation attending the 36th Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community, a report from the Government Information Agency (GINA) said.
Even as he thanked the Diaspora for their support at the May 11 General and Regional Elections, Granger said while the APNU+AFC Coalition won they view it as an opportunity for a multi-party grouping to take Guyana forward. “We won, not a victory, but an opportunity, (as) for the first time a multi-party, a multi-racial, coalition, for Guyana, it has never happened before, it will be a government aimed at improving Guyanese of all races,” he said.
Even with a majority win, the president assured the Diaspora that his government has no intention of excluding the 49% who voted for the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) and it is with this in mind that he has extended the olive branch to the party. While the PPP/C has not yet accepted the invitation, the Granger administration will work towards creating a better Guyana in every respect, over the next five years.
Speaking about what Guyana has to offer Caricom, the president said Guyana will play a great part in making Caricom an “economic power house.”
However, while its contribution to Caricom’s development is significant, Guyana will need the Community’s support going forward in the wake of the decree made by Venezuela claiming most of Guyana’s exclusive economic zone.
“We have come here under a cloud, because we have laboured with a ‘monkey on our back’ and that is the territorial claim by Venezuela; it is something that obstructed development, taking funds away from other forms of development, intimidating investments…” he said. “We hope to work with our colleagues to ensure that the two things our leaders stood up for in 1965, national independence and regional integration, are upheld, at this meeting and throughout the future development in CARICOM.”
The president reiterated his firm belief that if Caricom supports Guyana this problem can be resolved. “We believe that we can overcome this hurdle…Guyana is a very big part of the CARICOM future, our resources, these are all part of the Caribbean heritage and patrimony, we are part of this family,” he said.
