Guyana is in the best place it has been for 52 years in its border controversy with Venezuela, President David Granger told the PNCR’s General Council meeting today.
A statement from the PNCR follows:
PNCR FIRST GENERAL COUNCIL MEETING FOR 2018
On Saturday 10th February 2018, the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) held its first General Council for this year at the Party Headquarters, Congress Place, Sophia, under the theme, “PNCR – The Vanguard of a Green Economy.” The General Council was chaired by Hon. Basil Williams SC, MP, Chairman of the PNCR. In his welcome remarks, the Chairman called attention to the decision of the Secretary General of the United Nation to refer the Guyana-Venezuela border controversy to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and complimented the work of the Party Leader and President over the last thirty months in securing this outcome.
The Chairman also noted Guyana’s commitment to the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) to implement all of their recommendations and so remove Guyana from the black holes of FATF and the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force.
“Many good things are happening in our economy as billions have been spent and will continue to be spent for the benefit of the people. Comrades, unimaginable prosperity looms for the Guyanese people. To guarantee that prosperity we must win local government elections this year and General and Regional Elections in 2020,” the Chairman said.
In her report to the General Council, Party General Secretary (GS), Hon. Amna Ally brought the Council up to date on the state of the Party and the work of the Party Secretariat over the period between General Councils. She informed General Council that the Party was already in campaign-mode for the upcoming local government elections. She called for regional leaders to work harder in their communities in order to secure victory in the 62 Neighbourhood Democratic Councils and 9 municipalities. Ms. Ally called on all Party leaders to work relentlessly to achieve success; she called for good leadership, good governance and a united Party.
The feature address to General Council was delivered by Party Leader and President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, His Excellency David Granger. Referencing the Guyana-Venezuela border controversy, the President said that Guyana was now in the best place it has ever been in 52 years. The Leader said that 2018 would be a very challenging year for the PNCR and reiterated the calls made by the General Secretary for the Party to improve its work in communities all across the country in preparation for local government elections.
The Leader called for vigilance and attention to the security of the nation. President Granger said that the best guarantee of Guyana’s defence was its people; in this regard, he said “the Militia was on the march again.” The PNCR leader iterated the importance of the Guyana Peoples Militia (GPM) to the security of the nation and called on Party members and supporters to enlist. He also emphasised the importance of Community Policing to the security of neighbourhoods and the suppression of crime. The Party Leader and President called on Guyanese to come forward and volunteer for Community Policing; “we have to establish a system which can guarantee the safety of every citizen of this country,” the Leader said.
The Leader of the PNCR recommitted the Party to A Partnership for National Unity (APNU). “We are better together, we are not leaving APNU, all five parties will stay together and contest the local government elections” he said. “As a nation we are heading for great times,” as he urged Party leaders to stand firm in the face of those who were peddling negativity. “We have to ignore the negativity, our economy is growing, it is being prudently managed” the Party said as he noted a 3.5% growth in the economy over the last year.
Turning his attention to the sugar industry, the Leader said, “we are reforming the sugar industry, we are consolidating the industry not closing the industry.” He told General Council that a plan was being put in place to keep the sugar industry alive and that workers whose job was terminated will get their benefit.
In an address that covered several areas of national interest the Party Leader called for a revival of the village economy; stressed the importance of agro-processing, buying and eating local produce and the creation of jobs for youth and women.
The General Council is the second highest decision-making forum of the PNCR and meet once every quarter.
