In his Republic anniversary address on Thursday, President Irfaan Ali zoomed in on protecting the territorial integrity of the country and outlined a vision for Guyana in 2030 even as he pleaded for patience in improving the standard of living of the people.
Speaking in the forecourt of the Public Buildings on the occasion of the 54th anniversary of the Republic, Ali also waded into the opposition and indirectly addressed the strike by teachers which has lasted for three weeks.
In the presence of chief guest, Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, Keith Rowley, the President spoke assertively about sovereignty.
“A threat to our territorial integrity poses a direct challenge to our sovereignty because it stakes a claim upon the settled geographical boundaries that define our nation. Territorial integrity is not merely about lines on a map; it symbolises the autonomy and control which a nation exercises over its land, waters, air space, resources and people. Without total control over our territory, our sovereignty is compromised. We shall never surrender an inch of our territory or cede national sovereignty”, the President said.
He was clearly referring to threats that intensified last year from Venezuela which culminated in a referendum that purported to annexe Guyana’s county of Essequibo but he made no reference to Caracas.
He then addressed what he described as political strikes.
“A threat to national development undermines the prosperity and well-being of our people. Any impediment to our development, including through the instigation of political strikes of instability, directly impacts the livelihoods and opportunities available to our people. Such actions not only hinder our progress as a nation but also can result in hardships among our populace”, he said.
Several leading government officials have described the Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU) strike as political.
The President indirectly addressed the strike but didn’t mention the GTU.
“I am the product of two teachers. I proudly stand as President of this Republic from a family and community of teachers. I have thousands of friends who are teachers, but most importantly, I am the President of all our teachers and all of Guyana. My commitment to every worker of this country – to every citizen of this country—is that prosperity will come, but it will take time and patience, and it will take sacrifices.
“In the next three and a half years, we’ll see the expansion of our economy, and with that will come better conditions of work, better conditions for our farmers, more investment in our human resource potential, and, of course, more investment in the welfare, salaries, and conditions for all the people of our country. This is the commitment of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic government. And, this is my commitment to the people of this country.
“If you look at all the commitments that I have made and this government made three years ago, I can stand before you and confidently say that we have not only kept all of those commitments in less than four years, but we have fulfilled those commitments we made in less than four years”, Ali said.
On Thursday the government faced more trade union discontent when the Guyana Public Service Union issued an ultimatum over the absence of collective bargaining.
The President then launched an attack on the opposition which appeared to be in relation to remarks by former Prime Minister Hamilton Green that supported the rigging of elections.
“Sovereignty derives from the collective will and consent of the governed, who entrust their representatives with the authority to rule in their best interests. True sovereignty lies in the ability of the people to freely determine their political destiny and hold their leaders accountable. Any threat to this fundamental right erodes the very foundation of our nationhood. Perverting the will of the people through attempts to rig elections or to justify the rigging of elections, impairs and injures national sovereignty by subverting the democratic principles upon which it is built.
“Those who advocate for and justify the rigging of elections represent the epitome of moral bankruptcy. Such individuals demonstrate a blatant disregard for the principles of fairness, justice, and the sanctity of the electoral process. By condoning election rigging, they corrode the very foundation of democracy and the stability of our Republic.
“Guyana will never return to the era where our Republic was tainted. Guyana’s harrowing experience with dictatorship stands as a stark reminder of the perils of rigged elections. That era is a closed chapter in our history. We have liberated ourselves from its grasp and fashioned a republic that is democratic and which continues to work to unite our people and defend our territorial integrity”, he declared.
Stating that people are rallying behind his government’s One Guyana concept, Ali said an economy to function in 2030 was being built.
“We are building an economy to function in a world of 2030 and beyond, where we will be sustainable and relevant, where government efficiency will be at its best and where government transparency will be of paramount importance. Pensioners will retire in dignity, our men and women in uniform must have access to the best quality of life, nurses have access to the best quality of life, and farmers have access to the greatest productive capacity. Research and development become a foundation through which innovation is built and where our country and people will be prosperous. That is the Guyana 2030 that we are building”, he stated.
The President also condemned the wanton killing of Palestinians in Gaza and called for an immediate ceasefire and a two-state solution.
“…we make a call once more to the world that the atrocities in Gaza must come to an end now. The killing must stop now. The only solution is a ceasefire and for the two countries to move towards a two-state solution. That has always been our fundamental position, and we call on all parties to move in this direction”, Ali said.
The President also lamented that men were not pulling their weight in society.
“As your President, I am bothered about our men. Our men are not taking their place in our
society. They are not advancing to support our women. Fewer men are enrolling in the scholarship programme. Fewer men are entering the teaching profession and
universities. This is a call of action for men across this country and, more so, across this region. This must change and change quickly”, Ali declared.
He also played up the government’s financing of indigenous communities.
“Our investment in youth, upgrading facilities, sports, and grounds are transformative. The government has implemented a wide range of initiatives to support various segments of society, including our indigenous people. Never before has any government invested like we’re investing now in our indigenous communities and in our indigenous people.
We believe that the equality and equity we want to build must create opportunities in every segment of our country, and prosperity must be felt by in every community across the country”, the President added.
The Head of State also said that Guyana’s prosperity must also filter into the region.
“On this note and in recognising our chief guest, Dr Keith Rowley, I want to assure our Region that the prosperity of Guyana must lead to the prosperity of this Region. We must work together to find innovative solutions in combining human resources and all our efforts to build a cohesive Region, in which our Regional economy will be highly functional and highly integrated, one where we can be interdependent on each other and where we can build a Region free from hunger, energy poverty, and a Region in which we are capable of dealing (with) our problems and finding solutions among ourselves”, he said.
