President Ramotar outlines strategy for diplomatic, neighbourly relations
PRESIDENT Donald Ramotar said, Thursday, that Guyana is committed to working hard towards strengthening its diplomatic front with its CARICOM neighbours and farther afield.
Noting that successive administrations have worked overtime on strengthening and enabling those relationships, he said: “At the presidential level, I will work to continue building good relations with Guyana’s neighbours.”
The Commander-in-Chief outlined the policy while addressing the Annual Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Officers’ Conference, in the Officers’ Mess, Camp Ayanganna, Thomas Lands, Georgetown.
Members of the Cabinet and other top Government officials were in the audience when he emphasised the need for developing linkages to fight the drug menace, as Guyana seeks to maintain its territorial integrity.
“By recognising it, at that level, suggests that there is a need for a global approach to fighting this scourge,” the Head of State said.
In this regard, he recommended linkage between the GDF and other militaries as being extremely important. “Firstly, the links with regional forces and between Guyana and the United States and others in our continent are vital.”
President Ramotar said Guyana is already working on the transportation initiatives of South America, noting that he is most encouraged by the similar interests this country shares with its continental partners, Brazil, Suriname and Venezuela. He continued: “I intend to take the established Presidential level of Guyana-Suriname relations to newer fields of mutual interests.”
He noted that Guyana’s relations with Venezuela remain sound and Guyana has expanded bilateral initiatives which are recognised as being of benefit to both peoples.
Likewise, Guyana enjoys very good relations with Brazil, which has immense trading possibilities, Mr. Ramotar said, adding it is also his intention to develop these in many aspects of  national life and bilateral ties.

SYNERGIES
He said he sees expanding Guyana’s relations with Brazil as being a good way to make use of the synergies that could bring to both economies.
Among the existing possibilities are the areas of transportation, agriculture, energy and commerce, said President Ramotar and he mentioned that Guyana’s relations with its continental neighbours can serve, as well, to deepen links between the continent, as a whole, and CARICOM.
Observing that Government will, at the same time, work assiduously to strengthen the focus on the integration of the Caribbean Community, he said he believes Guyana has the conditions to do so, with its  geographical location being able to facilitate such while helping to improve CARICOM/South America cooperation.
President Ramotar, alluding to the political stability and better relationship Guyana enjoyed with its neighbours over the last five years, even as the main trading partners were experiencing great difficulties, attested to the fact that this played no small part in the growth of the local economy.
On that note, he pointed to contributory factors, which he identified as being Guyana’s pro-poor policies, housing, expanding education, social programmes, the innovative initiative, Women of Worth (WOW), improved infrastructure and security arrangements in which the military played a major role, as in the infamous crime wave from 2002 to 2008 and, ultimately, the engendering of confidence in the minds of the populace.
Impressed with the job being done by the GDF, President Ramotar said it reflects the people’s confidence in the Army.
Referring to plans for further bilaterals, he said the administration is already working on the transportation initiatives of South America and he is encouraged by the similar interests shared with continental partners Brazil, Suriname and Venezuela.
President Ramotar also expressed optimism that Guyana can develop rapidly in the near future and identified mining, large-scale agriculture, information technology (IT), medical tourism and eco-services as areas with great prospects.
He said Guyana is investing in its infrastructure to move the economy from being resource-based and into more processing and manufacturing.
In the meantime, he acknowledged great prospects for hydropower that can have a transformative effect on the country.
However, he said Government anticipates other security challenges, such as on the borders with gold-mining and drugs/gun running and said the Army has a big  role to play.
He reminded the uniformed ranks: “As you are well aware, security is one of the most important factors for the social and economic development of a country.”