President Irfaan Ali yesterday called late former prime minister of Barbados Owen Arthur a “true friend” of Guyana as he thanked those who supported the fight for democracy in Guyana during the contentious five-month impasse over the results of the March 2nd elections.
During his inauguration yesterday at the National Cultural Centre, Ali gave an emotional tribute to Arthur, who passed before the results of the elections were announced last Sunday. Arthur had headed the Commonwealth Observer Mission to Guyana for the polls and voiced criticism over efforts to undermine the electoral process.
Ali referred to Arthur as a man who put Guyana first and stood with determination for democracy to continue in Guyana. He said that Arthur believed that the people of this country should not be deprived of their political rights. Ali noted that the former prime minister’s passing was “profoundly tragic” and said had it not been for death, he would be with the people of Guyana celebrating. “He was a true friend of Guyana; a man committed to justice and the rights of the people. I honour him today and I call on all assembled here to stand up and join me in a moment of silence to this warrior in our cause – Owen Seymour Arthur,” Ali said, as he asked that all invited stand for a moment of silence in honour of Arthur.
Arthur passed on July 27 after he was hospitalised in mid-July with heart complications. He led Barbados for an unprecedented three consecutive terms from 1994 to 2008, having served as Member of Parliament for the constituency of St Peter from 1984 to 2013.
Meanwhile, Ali proceeded to thank the member states of CARICOM and the international community for standing firm by the country over the last five months as the fight for a democratic state was being waged.
He said that those who stood with Guyana during those “dark days” are still “with us as a new dawn dispels the darkness of despair and shines a light of unbounded expectation on us today.”
President Ali also acknowledged the resident diplomatic corps for the United Kingdom, Canada, the European Union, and the United States as well as the Organization of American States, the Carter Center, and the Commonwealth Group of Nations, while saying that they all stood with the country over the last five months as the wait for the results grew, and continue to show support now that the results have been declared and the president has been sworn in. He said that they had been “outstanding in their own way and in time their names will form a lexicon of heroes of our nation.”
The president also expressed gratitude to his supporters and party members and volunteers, all of whom he said were “extraordinary” in their support and he added that their efforts will be not only a victory for them but for all Guyanese to benefit from what the vibrant nation has to offer.
‘Service for all’
“In my service to Guyana, I will not see a nation divided by ethnicity; I will see a nation cemented in unity. This land of Guyana is our common homeland; it is our common heritage. And every citizen within it is equal and will be treated equally,” he declared. The president then said that like most, he too has come from a humble beginning and has experienced the struggles and circumstances as those around him.
It is for this reason, the president said he will not lose touch with the people, especially when it relates to the country’s interests. He assured those who may not have supported him or his party that he will be a president for all the people of Guyana. “I will serve each of you with affection, without discrimination and with every attention to fairness and equity. The PPP/C formation of the government will be transformed into a victory… for all Guyanese who aspire to be a vibrant nation that delivers benefits for all,” Ali said.
Ali also called for unity in an effort to transition the country to a pathway of economic and social development. “From this day forward, we must each of us become our brother’s and sister’s keeper, ensuring that in our journey to progress and prosperity, no one is left behind,” he added.
