GUYANA’S democracy was put under the spotlight during a meeting among the country’s President, Dr Irfaan Ali, and top leaders from the United States Congress.

At a ceremony, during which President Ali was bestowed with a Certificate of Congressional Recognition by Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, glowing praises were bestowed upon the President and his commitment to the cause of Guyanese and the international community as a whole.

“What I see in you is the kind of leadership that can go into many doors around the world and view the people as equal and show them respect, so that we can have solutions,” the Congresswoman said.
According to Ms Lee, the recognition bestowed on President Ali was done on behalf of the 18th District of Texas and recognises his election victory as a “triumph of democracy.”

In her acknowledgement of the commitment of President Ali to the Guyanese people, Congresswoman Lee applauded his steadfastness in his commitment to the well-being and the future of the Guyanese people and “through your outstanding, character as a leader, you are going to help them overcome struggles that they may not foresee…, it goes on to indicate that your election was a triumph of democracy and a promise of hope for the Guyanese people.”

This is indeed, as it were, a feather in the cap not only for President Ali, but also for the PPP/C administration and all those who stood up in defence of democracy during the March 2020 General and Regional Elections after the APNU+AFC sought to derail the democratic process.

It took the combined efforts of the international community, local democratic forces and the judiciary to save Guyana’s democracy which was under threat.
The United States played a key role in safeguarding Guyana’s democracy, which must have greatly influenced the thinking of Congreswoman Lee in her assessment of President Ali and the role he is playing in bringing about a democratic, inclusive and harmonious society.

The recognition by Congresswoman Lee is all the more significant in the light of unfounded attempts by the political opposition and their overseas lackeys to tarnish the image of President Ali and his PPP/C administration as an “installed regime,” and as one that is discriminating against one segment of the population, namely Afro-Guyanese, who are perceived to be supportive of the opposition PNC.

Attempts at seeking to prejudice the thinking of the Congressional Black Caucus in the United States by way of a false narrative have failed to gain traction as could be seen from the warm reception given to President Ali and his delegation by the Guyanese community in the United States, including several Afro-Guyanese constituencies.

In addition, Congressional leaders including Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Congressman Gregory Meeks, was high in praise of President Ali and his leadership style.
“I just had a meeting with President Ali, talking about the relationship between the United States of America and Guyana and his leadership.

“To be quite frank, he is an individual that [sic] has a vision of how to make sure that tomorrow is better than today. Bringing  all of the people of Guyana together; thinking with the vision of the economy in Guyana; working together collectively with various other countries in the forefront with reference to making sure that you deal with agriculture, so that the people are not starving and hungry,” Congressman Meeks said.

These are sentiments expressed by individuals of honour and prominence who are not known to hold any brief for the PPP/C, but who are influenced by unbiased and objective thinking. In some ways, such statements emanating from Black Congressional leaders can be regarded as a slap in the face of those who continue to peddle a racist agenda based on false and unsubstantiated allegations that are completely at odds with objective reality.

As Guyana observes yet another anniversary of Emancipation Day, the political opposition, which seems bent on sowing the seeds of division in our society along ethnic lines, will do well to reflect on the views expressed by Congressional leaders in the United States, especially those of Congresswoman Lee and Congressman Meeks regarding governance in Guyana under the leadership of President Ali and the PPP/C administration.

In some important respects, such views and opinions could very well be regarded as an endorsement of the One Guyana vision as articulated by President Ali.
The recent visit by President Ali and other members of his delegation which included Vice-President Bharrat Jagdeo; Foreign Minister Hugh Todd and Foreign Secretary Robert Persaud is hugely fruitful for which all of Guyana must be proud. Indeed, the economic and strategic interests of the country have been admirably represented and the country is accordingly much richer for the visit.