A FORUM that allows open political dialogue among parties contesting the 2011 national and regional elections and constitutional term limits for heads of state are two of the tenets of a mature democracy in Guyana, according to the new head of the European Union Delegation to Guyana, Ambassador Robert Kopecky. The Ambassador presented his letters of credence to President Bharat Jagdeo Monday at the Office of the President and spoke to the media about some of his priorities.
He said Europe is fully cognisant of the fact that “(Guyana) is the Caribbean country and only one which cannot do the third or fourth presidential term which President Jagdeo has approved.”
The Ambassador described Guyana as a hub for integration in the Caribbean in the same vein that Brussels is the hub for integration in the EU, making reference to Guyana’s potential as the food basket of the Caribbean.
Asked about some of his priorities as the new EU Delegation Head, Ambassador Kopecky said he will be working to strengthen and give value added to the mutual cooperation that has traditionally existed between Guyana and the EU.
“I think we will be having more political dialogue, there will be more exchanging of views on the necessities of Guyana, and the know-how EU and its member states have,” Ambassador Kopecky said.
The EU is one of the Caribbean Community’s (CARICOM) major donors, and in Guyana, it has been supporting the strengthening of sea defence structures and the mangrove restoration and preservation project.
Ambassador Kopecky said given the potential Guyana has, there is a lot of space to engage in green tourism. He pointed to forest preservation and the revolutionary Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS).