-PM Hinds
PRIME Minister Samuel Hinds has said Guyana values highly Mexico’s commitment to cementing the ties of  friendship and cooperation with the Government and people of Guyana.
Speaking at Pegasus Hotel, in Kingston, Georgetown, at a Wednesday night reception to mark Mexico’s 200th anniversary of independence from Spain, he said the commitment to which he alluded was tangibly demonstrated with the opening of a Mexican Embassy in Guyana last year.
Mr. Hinds said that has led to an increase in the exchanges between the two countries and in the bilateral cooperation programme, particularly in the area of education.
“The offer of training for Guyanese teachers, who teach Spanish as a second language, is a welcome boost for our foreign language education programme,” the Prime Minister acknowledged.
He noted that, recently, several Guyanese students have gone to Mexico to complete studies under the Caricom/Mexico Bicentennial Scholarship Programme and more are expected to follow next year.
Mr. Hinds said the Guyana Government looks forward to increased business and trade contacts being established between the private sectors of both countries.
He noted that Mexico has achieved much as an independent nation, making its mark particularly in the fields of education, culture, science and sports.
“With prudent and innovative policies in tourism, infrastructure, industrial and services sector, Mexico has attained rapid economic growth.”
The Prime Minister also commended the initiatives taken to introduce Mexican culture to Guyana and said there is no doubt a greater appreciation, among Guyanese, for the culinary and visual arts in Mexico  has excelled.
He said Guyana and Mexico, being members of the Rio Group, the Organisation of American States, the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States as well as the United Nations, are able to share views and advocate for solutions to the challenges facing their citizens.
Prime Minister Hinds recognised the role being played by the Government of Mexico in preparation for the 16th Conference of Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP 16) to be held in Cancun, later this year.
He added:“Guyana appreciates Mexico’s push for a broad and balanced package that will serve as a framework for collective action.”
The Prime Minister said that the countries of the Caribbean have an unwavering position on the issue of climate change and are committed to achieving, for developing countries, a more positive outcome in Cancun.
He recalled that, at the recent joint meeting of COTED/COHSOD in Guyana, Caricom member States reaffirmed their commitment to the Liliendaal Declaration on Climate Change and Development, adopted in July last year, which represents the position of the members of the community going forward to Cancun.
Mr. Hinds said the thrust of the region’s position is that long term atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations must stabilise at levels to ensure global average surface temperatures increase no more than 1.5 degrees of pre-industrial levels.
“It is our hope that the deliberations in Cancun will lead to a positive outcome for the people of the world in the fight against climate change,” he said, before proposing a toast to the continued good health of President Felipe Calderon of Mexico, the prosperity of the people of Mexico and the further strengthening of the relations between Mexico and Guyana.