| …as PNC celebrates 58 years Earlier moves by Guyana, through the People’s National Congress (PNC) and founder leader Linden Forbes Sampson Burnham, toward making integration and free trade a reality within the region were ideals brought into focus yesterday as the PNC celebrated another anniversary.PNCR Leader, David Granger addressing the gathering yesterday.The PNC, now PNCR (Reform), celebrated its 59th year with a flag-raising ceremony and breakfast at the party’s Headquarters, Congress Place, Sophia, Greater Georgetown yesterday.There party members, stalwarts and ministers of the Burnham government, listened as President David Granger underscored the contributions the party, through its earlier leaders, made to establish free trade in the region and the value it places on stability and peace.Granger recalled Burhnam’s commitment to creating the conditions to allow Guyana to co-exist peacefully with its neighbours in the Caribbean and on the continent of South America.He said that together, Burnham, the Founder Leader, and Joseph Prayag Lachmansingh, their Founder-Chairman, established the party on October 5, 1957. Those gathered yesterday are the beneficiaries of the vision of the leaders of yesteryear.The beneficiaries said that they shall never forget the service given to the party and the love both men had for Guyana.The PNC was elected to the seat of government for the first time in December 1964 by way of a coalition administration. Granger remarked that the PNCR today forms part of a six-party coalition which has the opportunity to serve, give guidance, provide leadership and can contribute to the development of Guyana once again.“Our Founder embarked, immediately on our party’s formation, on the task ofA section of the attendies at Congress Place yesterday.building cordial, peaceful and respectful relations with Guyana’s neighbours in order to create a secure and stable international environment,” Granger remarked.He said that Burnham, even while in opposition, initiated a motion in the Legislative Assembly in 1958 calling for British Guiana to become a member of the West Indies Federation in 1958. That was an attempt at a governing coalition to make the English-speaking one country.According to Granger, even before Guyana achieved Independence in May 1966, the Founder Leader travelled to Bridgetown Barbados, to pioneer the restart of the regional integration movement by the establishment of the Caribbean Free Trade Area (CARIFTA).Granger said that this led to the creation of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). Before achieving Independence, Granger said Burnham travelled to Paramaribo, Suriname to seek a solution to what he termed that country’s objectionable claim to Guyana’s territory.He said, too, that the former Leader around the same time too hammered out an agreement to establish the Guyana-Venezuela Mixed Commission, seeking a solution to what he referred to as Venezuela’s obnoxious claim to this country’s territory.According to Granger, Burnham who was Guyana’s first Prime Minister travelled later in his career to Brasilia, Caracas and Paramaribo in an unending effort to build friendly relations with its immediate neighbours.The Party Leader remarked “The PNCR has never forgotten its duty to actualise the vision of our nation’s founders by continuing their work to live in peace with our neighbours, to safeguard our territory, to protect our people and to provide a good life for all. Our people today want to live in peace and safety.”Granger said that the PNCR made a contract with Guyana 58 years ago. “We are the heirs and executors of that contract. We have a duty to make Guyana a peaceful and prosperous country for posterity to inherit.”Granger said the PNCR will continue to work through A Partnership for National Unity + the Alliance For Change coalition to remove all obstacles to regional peace and stability.“The PNCR will never surrender its struggle to make this region ‘a zone of peace.’ The PNCR will never resile from its duty to work with any nation or international organization in order to achieve the ideal of forging greater integration and cooperation among all the people of this hemisphere,” expressed the party leader.Granger said they reject the “invented territorial claims by Venezuela and Suriname. Their expansionist ambitions cannot be allowed to undermine the tenets of international law and unravel borders which have been undisturbed for decades.”Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro, on May 27, last, had issued a decree, extending his country’s claim to Guyana’s territorial waters. Accompanying the decree, a map was issued which showed that the claim includes the area where the US giant oil company, ExxonMobil is currently drilling for oil by provision of the Guyanese government.Maduro’s decree came on the heels of the announcement that a hefty amount of hydrocarbons (oil) was found; these quantities are being regarded by Guyana’s leaders as enough to significantly transform the poorer country’s financial fortunes.Just recently too, Suriname resurrected the New River Triangle controversy with Guyana. The Surinamese President Desi Bouterse during his annual address to Parliament said that the issue will be back on their agenda.This was met with rejection by local leaders.As Granger spoke, he reaffirmed the party’s commitment to the peaceful settlement of international disputes and it supports the government’s call for a resolution of all claims and controversies in a manner that is consistent with the Charter of the United Nations (UN).The PNCR, Granger said, wants to bring an end to ceaseless aggression, harassment and threats and wants Guyana to develop its resources for the benefit of its people. “The PNCR recommits to supporting the government in its quest to preserve the Caribbean and the continent of South America as a zone of peace,Discount NFL Jerseys,” expressed the President. |
