FOREIGN Minister Carl Greenidge has lauded the efforts of New Zealand’s outgoing High Commissioner Jan Henderson to forward relations with the Government and people of Guyana.

During a courtesy call on the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Henderson, who is also assigned to the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), discussed areas of mutual interest, including the upcoming Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting scheduled to be held in London next month, referral of the Guyana-Venezuela controversy to the International Court of Justice as well as renewal of the ACP-EU Cotonou Agreement.

Further, Minister Greenidge noted that Henderson “has been very active in Guyana”. The establishment of formal diplomatic relations between the Cooperative Republic of Guyana and New Zealand occurred on September 1st, 1974. Through bilateral relations with New Zealand, Guyana has benefitted from scholarship opportunities afforded by New Zealand, in addition to a project fund which provided submersible freshwater pumps to the Mainstay/Whyaka Village and which benefitted over 500 residents.