By Svetlana Marshall

AMID the alarming rise in domestic violence cases here British High Commissioner to Guyana, Gregory Quinn on Thursday night declared that the abuse of women and children is unacceptable and disgraceful.Addressing a large gathering to mark the 90th birth anniversary of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, Quinn said the scourge of domestic violence continues to anger him. “I hope all people would speak out when they become aware of such abuse, and I also recognise that there needs to be better help for the victims,” he said while stating clearly that he supports any and all action by civil society and the government to eradicate the violent acts against women and children.

The Commissioner also used the opportunity to call on Guyana to bring an end to the death penalty in Guyana. Britain had been lobbying Guyana over the years to abolish the death penalty. Although Guyana has not used the method since in the early 1990s, Britain wants it off the law books here.
Support against Venezuela
Meanwhile, President David Granger, during his remarks, said he was heartened by the United Kingdom’s unequivocal support for Guyana’s territorial integrity even as this country yearns for complete resolution of Venezuela’s “obnoxious” claim to the resourced-rich Essequibo region.

Speaking at the celebration hosted by Quinn and his wife, Wendy Quinn, at their Bel Air Gardens, Georgetown residence, President Granger said Guyana still seeks the promised peace in the Geneva Agreement. “We still yearn for the complete resolution of this obnoxious claim to our territory,” he said.

On February 17, 1966, even before Independence, the then Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, signed on behalf of the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, in consultation with the Government of British Guiana, and the Government of Venezuela, the Geneva Agreement aimed at the peaceful resolution of the territorial controversy.

“We were heartened, therefore, by the unambiguous asseverations of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, who iterated that the Guyana-Venezuela boundary was fixed in the 1899 Arbitral Tribunal in Paris, and that ‘…the UK supports the territorial integrity of your country unequivocally,’” the President said.

He added: “We are reassured by the reaffirmation of the United Kingdom’s support for Guyana’s position on the attempts by the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela to overturn previously settled borders.”

While security has played a pivotal role in maintaining Guyana’s Independence over the last 50 years, President Granger said the country must now rely on cooperation with its partners in the international community to combat transnational threats, such as narcotics-trafficking, trafficking in persons and terrorism.

“Guyana is gratified by the quality of cordial relations with Britain. We thank Britain for its sustained support for Guyana’s development efforts and more recently, for its receptiveness to our request to re-engage with security sector reform,” the President said. According to him, the visit of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State enabled the presentation of an analysis on the state of the security sector – explaining that it pointed to the political action-plan that can include different elements of security sector reform.

Mention was also made of the UK-Caribbean Fund, which was launched earlier this year, to assist in infrastructural works that can contribute to achieving development targets. Assistance in health and education, the President, said will aim at the goal of having a healthy population and an educated nation.

President Granger also used the opportunity to wish Her Majesty, the Queen well on this her birthday. “I extend warmest congratulations and best wishes for the good health and continued longevity of Her Gracious Majesty Queen Elizabeth II on behalf of the Government and people of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana.”

High Commissioner Quinn, in his address, said Guyana and the UK’s relationship continues to flourish this year, even as he alluded to the launch of the UK-Caribbean Fund valued at GUY$16B and the security sector reform programme. “We also have our ongoing work on forestry certification, combating illegal logging and have extended our assistance to include strengthening health facilities to make them more resilient in the event of any natural disaster,” the British High Commissioner added.

He said, too, that the UK scholarship programme has been expanded and will now pave the way for 16 post-graduate Guyanese students to study in the UK.