IN efforts to advance Guyana’s right to defend its lands and promote greater international unions, Finance Minister Winston Jordan announced in his budget presentation yesterday in the National Assembly that a Department for International Economic Cooperation is to be set up at Guyana’s Foreign Ministry. Jordan’s budget presentation centered on ensuring the “good life” for all Guyanese. “For nearly 50 years, Guyana’s development has been threatened by, or held in abeyance because of Venezuela, whose spurious claim to two-thirds of our landmass and, more recently, all of our sea space, has been a drain on our nation’s resources.”
Jordan said in the presence of Foreign Minister Carl Greenidge that the country will move to defend its national interest through sustained diplomatic initiatives.
In doing so, he continued, “We will be guided by our stated positions of mutual respect for states’ territory, mutual non-aggression between states, mutual non-interference in the internal affairs of other states, and mutual cooperation for peaceful co-existence amongst states.”
“Our Government believes that Guyana must continue to be an active member of the global community, promoting our national interests, while standing up for the values of freedom, fairness and responsibility,” the Finance Minister stated.
ENGAGING DIASPORA
In attaining “the Good Life” for all Guyanese, Jordan said too that Government will be engaging the diaspora “to get them to contribute to the economic development through investment and the transfer of skills and expertise.”
Jordan said Government will be working along with international agencies like the United Nations, the Commonwealth, and the Organisation of American States (OAS) to promote peace and stability, respect for human rights, the sanctity of borders and the peaceful settlement of border disputes and controversies.”

By Derwayne Wills