By Ravin Singh

COINCIDING with part of the theme for Guyana’s 50th Independence Anniversary – “reflect” – is Sir Shridath Ramphal’s latest addition to his publications, ‘Guyana in the World’, which was officially launched on Friday evening at the Georgetown Club.Sir Shridath, who once served as Guyana’s Foreign Affairs Minister and the second Commonwealth Secretary-General, was asked by the Foreign Ministry to produce an essay in two parts, reflecting on the role of Guyana in the international community.

The first part of the essay highlights Guyana’s regional and international encounters in the earliest years of Independence. The second part, entitled ‘The Predatory Challenge’, examines the challenges the country has faced on its borders, particularly from Venezuela.

The launching ceremony, graced by President David Granger, stood testimony to the fact that 50 years later, Guyana was being steered in a direction which does not neglect the importance of history.

Speaking at the formal ceremony, on Friday evening at Georgetown Club, in deafening silence as all listened keenly, the author spoke passionately about the contents of the book, which he said plays a critical role in informing the younger generation.

Sir Shridath highlighted to his audience that, 50 years after, many Guyanese have grown up not knowing of Guyana in the great new world it had entered then; entry which he described as the very essence of Independence.

“I knew there were years of great achievements and years of great challenges – challenges persisting to this day; but I also suspected that awareness of some of those achievements had not crossed the generation gap nor had the continuity of challenge.”

Some of these challenges, he pointed out, are so fierce today that he was forced to dwell on them at some length, especially the Venezuela border controversy.
And weighing in on this issue, which resurfaced last year, he noted that the Spanish-speaking country’s claim to two-thirds of Guyana is a “calumny born of greed, nurtured by falsity and fable, and maintained by political demagoguery”.

He added: “It is a claim that is contemptuous of the rule of international law, and scornful of the sanctity of treaties. It is a claim that threatens the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Guyana, and the peace of the region.”

He pointed out that the claim combines “greed, lies, and xenophobia into a toxic brew”; and
that brew is one stirred not by the ordinary people of Venezuela, who are the brothers and sisters of Guyanese, but by the classes and forces, cliques and cabals in Venezuela who pursue their own ends.

Using as a measuring stick the Spanish-speaking country which is currently facing economic turmoil, he noted that “Guyana’s strength lies in the understanding by our people of the righteousness of our cause and the hollowness of Venezuela’s.”

And while this controversy is still ongoing, the author noted, for Guyana, as an infant State, to have accomplished all that is recorded in the book is something that shall ever be to the credit of Guyana, and ever be remembered by the world.

“Guyanese must be mindful of those accomplishments as many the world over are. It was a privilege to have been personally involved in some of them. It is a privilege to have been asked to recall them here,” Sir Shridath said.

Remarks were also made by Foreign Affairs Minister Carl Greenidge, who spoke at length about the controversy which has resulted in the deterioration of relations shared by the neighbouring countries.

He also commented on the fact that when Guyana gained independence, led by former Presidents Forbes Burnham and Cheddi Jagan, there had been memorable occasions which had already introduced Guyana on the international stage.

And once Independence had been achieved, he noted, it was time for Guyana to prove itself as a worthy country –- an achievement which was highlighted in the book.

The event ended early in the evening with the autographing of complimentary copies of the publication, which were distributed to attendees. This was followed by a ‘wine and dine’ moment which was shared by the attendees. That moment was shared by foreign dignitaries and ministers of Government.