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TRIBUTES continued to pour in yesterday, as the Venezuelan Embassy in Georgetown opened its book of condolence, for the late charismatic leader of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Hugo Chavez. Among those paying tribute to the fallen Latin American hero were Head of State, Donald Ramotar, British High Commissioner, Andrew Ayers, Prime Minister Samuel Hinds and acting Minister of Foreign Affairs Robeson Benn, among others.
Ramotar met with Her Excellency, Reina Margarita Arratia Diaz, the Venezuelan Ambassador to Guyana, and confirmed that he will be leaving Guyana today for a state funeral to be held on Friday in Venezuela.
The President also used the opportunity to once again extend condolences on behalf of the people of Guyana to the people of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.
Prime Minister Hinds said that President Chavez’s passing “is a great loss”.
Hinds said that Chavez was still a fairly young person and it would have been expected that he could be around for many more years, even if not as President.
The prime minister used the opportunity to remind of his interactions with Chavez at functions related to Petro Caribe and UNASUR, among others, and said that “one could not help but empathize with the intensity of his feeling to bring more equal opportunities” to people across the world.
Hinds said that Chavez passionately believed in and championed the need to reduce the inequality in earnings and the living standards of people.
The prime minister said that to him, Chavez was the present day forerunner of the American Revolution that began in 1776.
Hinds said Chavez is a great example of a person who has sought to do something about dealing with the different spreads of income and standards of living.
“There is no doubt that he raised some important questions for this time.”
Acting Foreign Affairs Minister Benn told the media after he had affixed his signature to his tribute in the book of condolences, that Chavez’s passing is a tremendous loss to the Caribbean, Latin America and to progressive people around the world.
With a somber tone, Benn told the local media corps outside of the Venezuelan Embassy that Chavez’s death is “a great loss” and that the fallen Head of State was “an extraordinary human being.”
Benn reminisced that he had first met the South American Leader while he was Commissioner of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission, and “I was struck by his extraordinary insight into what is needed to take Latin America and Caribbean out of poverty.”
According to Minister Benn, Chavez’s vision, enthusiasm and sincerity was extraordinary for the time,“and necessary for time.”
Benn said that he believes that “we have to find more and more ways, as he (Chavez) wanted to do,” with other leaders in Latin America to integrate the region, “for the development and common well-being and welfare of the people of Latin America, who have been exploited for too long.”
British High Commissioner Andrew Ayers, in an exclusive comment with the Guyana Chronicle, said that it is indeed a day of sympathy for the people of Venezuela and the Region.
The High Commissioner said that the Petro Caribe initiative and Chavez’s role in reducing the border tension between Guyana and Venezuela were two positive things for Guyana and the region at large.
Throughout yesterday, officials and Venezuelan citizens residing in Guyana made their way to the embassy whether it was just for information or to sign the book of condolences.
One such young lady, a citizen of Venezuala, said that Chavez was among the last true great socialist presidents and that all presidents have their good and bad times.
Another said that “We are just trying to cope with it (the news)…we living here, but our hearts are over there.”
They said that it was hoped that Chavez would have recuperated and the news of his death came as a shock.
He was remembered for some of the things he did in his country and with the few English words that they could put together, the Venezuelans spoke of “a lot of good things he did,” and pointed to his reaching out to the poor and his efforts to ensure his people were educated.
Ramotar met with Her Excellency, Reina Margarita Arratia Diaz, the Venezuelan Ambassador to Guyana, and confirmed that he will be leaving Guyana today for a state funeral to be held on Friday in Venezuela.
The President also used the opportunity to once again extend condolences on behalf of the people of Guyana to the people of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.
Prime Minister Hinds said that President Chavez’s passing “is a great loss”.
Hinds said that Chavez was still a fairly young person and it would have been expected that he could be around for many more years, even if not as President.
The prime minister used the opportunity to remind of his interactions with Chavez at functions related to Petro Caribe and UNASUR, among others, and said that “one could not help but empathize with the intensity of his feeling to bring more equal opportunities” to people across the world.
Hinds said that Chavez passionately believed in and championed the need to reduce the inequality in earnings and the living standards of people.
The prime minister said that to him, Chavez was the present day forerunner of the American Revolution that began in 1776.
Hinds said Chavez is a great example of a person who has sought to do something about dealing with the different spreads of income and standards of living.
“There is no doubt that he raised some important questions for this time.”
Acting Foreign Affairs Minister Benn told the media after he had affixed his signature to his tribute in the book of condolences, that Chavez’s passing is a tremendous loss to the Caribbean, Latin America and to progressive people around the world.
With a somber tone, Benn told the local media corps outside of the Venezuelan Embassy that Chavez’s death is “a great loss” and that the fallen Head of State was “an extraordinary human being.”
Benn reminisced that he had first met the South American Leader while he was Commissioner of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission, and “I was struck by his extraordinary insight into what is needed to take Latin America and Caribbean out of poverty.”
According to Minister Benn, Chavez’s vision, enthusiasm and sincerity was extraordinary for the time,“and necessary for time.”
Benn said that he believes that “we have to find more and more ways, as he (Chavez) wanted to do,” with other leaders in Latin America to integrate the region, “for the development and common well-being and welfare of the people of Latin America, who have been exploited for too long.”
British High Commissioner Andrew Ayers, in an exclusive comment with the Guyana Chronicle, said that it is indeed a day of sympathy for the people of Venezuela and the Region.
The High Commissioner said that the Petro Caribe initiative and Chavez’s role in reducing the border tension between Guyana and Venezuela were two positive things for Guyana and the region at large.
Throughout yesterday, officials and Venezuelan citizens residing in Guyana made their way to the embassy whether it was just for information or to sign the book of condolences.
One such young lady, a citizen of Venezuala, said that Chavez was among the last true great socialist presidents and that all presidents have their good and bad times.
Another said that “We are just trying to cope with it (the news)…we living here, but our hearts are over there.”
They said that it was hoped that Chavez would have recuperated and the news of his death came as a shock.
He was remembered for some of the things he did in his country and with the few English words that they could put together, the Venezuelans spoke of “a lot of good things he did,” and pointed to his reaching out to the poor and his efforts to ensure his people were educated.
