ON his last day of a return trip to Canada on official business, Canadian High Commissioner Francois Montour was hosted by Honorary Consul General Danny Doobay at a reception with the Guyanese-Canadian business community and community leaders. Addressing the gathering, High Commissioner Montour said Canada and Guyana have enjoyed a very good long term relationship. “My main objective is to maintain that relationship and even extend that relationship as much as we can in terms of commercial exchange, technical and knowledge exchange and assistance to Guyana in as much as we can.”

The High Commissioner said the Guyanese community, government officials and other partners in Guyana society have been extremely welcoming on his new appointment eight months ago.  Mr. Montour said he has had very good meetings with President Bharrat Jagdeo as well as Prime Minister Sam Hinds.

“As you know, there are Canadian companies in the extractive sector very much involved in Guyana and that falls directly under the Prime Minister so we’ve had good contact with your President and Prime Minister about the future,” he told the gathering at the reception.

Drawing from the vantage point of his experience in development work and several prior postings in developing countries, the High Commissioner told those gathered, “I can tell you…it didn’t take me too long to realise how much resources Guyana has for its own development and the opportunities that exist in Guyana, and because of that I believe that the future of your country is very optimistic.”

Mr. Montour said he will do all he can to work with the Guyanese. “And I’m going to try my best to try to work with your government to make sure that this future is developed,”  the High Commissioner said.

Mr. Montour also said  he was very impressed with how well Guyanese-Canadians are organized and structured in Canada in terms of a community and looks forward to future discussions with the members of various Guyanese organisations.

Thanking the High Commissioner, in his response, Consul General Doobay pointed out that this year 2010 will be the 44th year of Guyana’s independence and the 44th year of diplomatic relations between the two countries.  He pointed out that the Guyanese community in Canada has contributed not only to the development back in Guyana but also in Canada.

Several distinguished individuals attended the reception,  including Winston Kassim – an Order of Canada recipient and Ovid Jackson, an Order of Ontario Recipient.

Doobay noted that the example of these two individuals and of the gathering as a whole demonstrate the high quality of leadership in the community and the commitment to development in both Guyana and Canada.

Doobay also encourage those present to support the 10th Guyana Awards Gala on May 29 at the ‘Inn on the Park’, kicking off the 44th Guyana independence celebrations in Canada, culminating with the Guyana Festival in June (19th and 20th) . The independence programme consists of more than 20 activities in 5 provinces and involving tens of thousands of Guyanese and Canadians.