..President says Guyana will pursue case at ICJ with determination

PRESIDENT David Granger has assured that this country’s efforts to protect its sovereignty have not been in vain, pointing to the United Nations decision to send the decades-old border controversy with Venezuela to the International Court of Justice for a final ruling.

In his message marking the 48th Republic Anniversary, President Granger said the independent state of Guyana assumed the title ‘Cooperative Republic’ on this day, 48 years ago, noting that the Republic severed vestigial constitutional bonds with the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Guyana became fully sovereign, no longer subject to external authority.

“The Republic vested sovereignty in our people. It charged Guyanese with exercising this sovereignty by assuming responsibility for defending their motherland and developing the economy. We, Guyanese, celebrate our 48th Republic Anniversary, happy that our efforts to defend our homeland have not been in vain. We have lived under the shadow of threats to our territory since Independence in 1966,” President Granger said.

He said Guyana moved closer towards a juridical settlement of the territorial controversy this year when the United Nations Secretary General in January indicated his choice of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) as the means to resolve the controversy. “We, Guyanese, intend to pursue our case before the ICJ in coming months with the same determination as we rejected the unwarranted claim to our territory in past years. We are confident that our cause is just and our case is sound. We are committed to defending our motherland, “the Guyanese leader said.

Guyana’s Constitution stipulates that: “The State’s defence and security policy shall be to defend national independence, preserve the country’s sovereignty and integrity and guarantee the normal functioning of institutions and the security of citizens against any armed aggression.”

Safety of citizens
Meanwhile, turning his attention to citizens’ safety, President Granger said this is a paramount objective of the State. “Our people must be safe in their homes, villages and places of work. Their property must be protected against crime. Guyana’s Government is enhancing the delivery of services to its most distant communities, both on the coastland and in the hinterland, in good times and bad.”

Only last week while addressing the Police Officers’ Conference, the Guyanese leader said human safety is necessary to ensure our country’s stability. “Our country must be secured against trafficking in drugs, guns, and people. Public security will signal to investors that this country is a safe destination for their investments,” the President said.

He said that communities should be free from criminal activities and children must be nurtured in a safe environment. “Our young people must be protected from the dangers of drug use. Citizens must be able to move around their communities free from the fear of crime. Citizens must be safeguarded from attacks on their persons and property. They must be safe at home, at work, on the street and at play.”

Additionally, President Granger said in his Republic address that his government is augmenting its resources to render assistance to regional administrations and villages in times of flood, drought, threats to public order and other emergencies. “Guyana looks forward to the intensification of cooperation with friendly, foreign states, especially in building capacity for the Defence Force’s technical corps, to improve the national infrastructure in every part of the country, to defend our territorial integrity, to protect our citizens and to respond to emergencies.”

At the international level, he said international cooperation is essential to preserving this continent as a zone of peace; to preventing and interdicting transnational threats such as drug, gun and human-trafficking, the spread of contagious diseases, terrorism and to mitigating the adverse effects of climate change and natural hazards.

According to the President, Guyana’s green grandeur must be protected. Its grasslands, highlands, islands, wetlands, lakes, coastal mudflats, rainforests, rivers and waterfalls are wonderful–not a mere figment of its citizens’ imagination. “We, Guyanese, are proud of our country. Our national anthem sings of a “…land of rivers and plains, made rich by the sunshine and lush by the rains, set gem-like and fair between mountains and seas…” “We, Guyanese, in the exercise of our sovereignty, are defending the Republic.

We are protecting our patrimony. We are ensuring that future generations will be able to inherit this beautiful country, to live in peace and to enjoy the good life and prosperity which this bountiful country has to offer. Guyanese! I extend greetings to you on the occasion of the 48th anniversary of the republic,” the President said.