President Irfaan Ali yesterday pummelled critics of his recent visit to the United States, saying his government works hard to develop global relationships and persons should try to support instead of tearing down their leaders.
“Ultimately, what we represent is the best interest for Guyana, partners will represent the best interest for their countries and together we represent what is best in our relationship and the development of our relationship,” Ali said during an address for the sod turning ceremony of Guyana’s first specialized Paediatric and Maternal Hospital at Goedverwagting.
The President stressed that while he remains leader of the country he will look at all friendly countries as partners and dedicate the necessary resources in making those relationships work in the interest of Guyana.
A day after his return from the United States where Guyana signed a US$2B Memorandum of Understanding with that country’s EXIM Bank, Ali said he was shocked at “naysayers’” expressions over the agreement and at others who took personal swipes at him while in the United States with some saying that Washington had “ulterior motives”. The President did not identify any of the critics.
Ali said that while in the US he had not been following up on local headlines because of time constraints but that he was sent a series of headlines ranging from the visit to Washington to discussions he has held with other bilateral partners.
“The United States, like all the other countries: China, the UK …Cuba, you are our friends. You are our partners,” he emphasized.
He said that he believed that the statements could not go on unaddressed as persons here don’t seem to understand that the negative views constitute a disservice to the nation as a whole and may inspire hostility from potential partners.
“I didn’t intend to speak about it because I’m beginning to get tired of the naysayers, but what is more worrying is that they are becoming very, very personalized in their attack. It can damage our reputation as a country. In the middle of (a) very high-level important conversation with our bilateral partners, you have all these reckless statements. Reckless statements when you’re advancing specific cause and results for our country. What are they trying to achieve? I promised myself I will not address [critics] but had to, because it must not continue without being addressed,” he said.
Building an image of a nation with trusted leaders, the President reasoned, was integral since this country does not want a one-off or occasional meetings but to have permanent diplomatic and friendly contact.
Said Ali, “Unless the world trusts us, only then it will want to do business with us. The world may do transactions with us but that is not trust…we have to be able to build trust with our partners and we have been working hard, every single day, to bring that trust with our international partners; win back that trust.”
“Let me tell the naysayers something: it is not easy to go into a room to hear about your country’s democracy records and election records as a negative against your country and we have to spend hours dismantling that negative or perception about our country. It is not easy. And I sit there for hours, painstakingly,” he added.
Austria
Making reference to when he had met with the President of Austria, Ali said that criticisms had rained on him with some saying that it seemed all he was doing was “seeking out meetings” with leaders. “What is this bilateral with Austria?’ [they questioned]. That is for the narrow- minded thinkers…No one is too big or too small for us to talk to. We live in a global community. We must have conversation with every single person, every single country. That is a partnership you’re building and the trust you’re building in a system,” he said.
Turning specifically to the meeting last week with US policymakers in Washington, Ali said it may have seemed easy to some and the media might have played the visit down but it was hard work.
“Hard work, very little sleep. Very, very little sleep. Meetings after meetings that those behind the headlines will never understand, because I’m telling you they will never put an ounce of energy behind what we did in the last week. Never! It is not easy,” he declared.
“They believe it’s easy to start at five in the morning and work and get back to the hotel just in time to review the next day and perhaps get a few hours sleep for the next meetings. I have a little son too. That sometimes I don’t speak to for three four days because of the scheduling. Those behind the headlines would never understand that because they don’t have to put the work in behind that. They will never understand,” he asserted.
The President has said that Guyana’s relationship with China is one built on Beijing’s support for this country’s development goals and where common values are realized.
Heads of missions were lauded by Ali for their respective work with their governments as they try to market Guyana.
“These ambassadors, High Commissioners let them tell you. I’d seen them working. I’ve seen aggression in the ambassadors and High Commissioners stationed here now because we are pushing hard at every single opportunity. You think it’s easy to get a trade mission of 30 to 40 people together to come to Guyana? It is not guess work,” he said.
United States Congressman and Democrat, Hakeem Jeffries came in for rebuke as he was singled out for what Ali believes is Jeffries’ refusal to meet with him during the visit in Washington.
“I see in one article the name Jeffries mentioned. This president asked the foreign affairs ministry and the ambassador to write him, inviting him to a meeting. He has not responded to the ambassador’s invitation. Ask yourself, why? If you have all these concerns, why you haven’t attended a meeting that you were invited to?” Ali questioned
“Stop playing politics with the future of a country. This President will not allow it. I will speak about it. And in stronger terms as l speak about it,” Ali asserted.
Jeffries, who is a Democrat and a rising star in the party, represents New York’s 8th congressional district and has criticised the PPP/C government about racism and marginalization of Afro-Guyanese without adducing evidence.
Last month he said that the US will take all steps necessary “to get things moving in a fairer, more equitable direction” in Guyana.
