SINCE being elected to office in 2020, the government has been investing in initiatives to foster unity amidst continuous attempts by persons locally and overseas to sow discord by peddling racism and discrimination.

However, President, Dr. Irfaan Ali, has repeatedly rebuffed those attempts and has pledged to continue working on dismantling every single chord of discrimination against Guyanese and to promote unity. It was out of this desire that his “One Guyana” initiative was born.

President Ali, leading from the front, is now on a mission to create a pathway for peace and harmony that will unite all Guyanese and advance the growth and development of the country.

Many have embraced the President’s vision and have applauded him for taking this bold step.

Last week, dozens of Christian leaders (both locally-based and members of the diaspora) signalled their interest in partnering with President Ali on his initiative. The group met with the President at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre, at Liliendaal.

This is very noteworthy, particularly since the church has the ability to foster community cohesion.

According to Pastor Ejaz Nabie, the event’s aim was to discuss the President’s vision for “One Guyana” and unity, with a specific focus on the Church’s role in addressing racism, reconciliation, and nation-building.

This is just one of many groups of religious leaders whom the President have met to discuss these important national issues and his plans for corrective action.

President Ali, during the recent meeting, emphasised the importance of his vision and said that its objectives can be achieved if everyone works together.

“What there is, is a great yearning to come together; a great enthusiasm and energy to come together. There is a great opportunity for us to fuse ourselves together; that is what the ordinary people want. There are, however, a select few out there who drive a narrative that is far different from reality,” President Ali said.

He believes, as we all should, that the government and the Church have interconnecting roles to play in the development of Guyana, and can work together to ensure Guyanese lead meaningful lives.

According to him, the engagement “should be the beginning of a system of interaction and communication to create a pathway.”

The religious leaders left the engagement satisfied with what they had heard, as after acknowledging the importance of the dialogue, they pledged their collective commitment to do their part in promoting unity.

In February this year, President Ali met virtually with more than fifty religious leaders from North America.

Like he did during the recent meeting, he told them that they had a vital role to play in creating a unified nation. He indicated his willingness to work with them.

President Ali first outlined his desire for a united Guyana during his inauguration speech, when he said: “In my service to Guyana, I will not see a nation divided by ethnicity; I will see a nation cemented in unity. This land of Guyana is our common homeland; it is our common heritage. And every citizen within it is equal and will be treated equally.”

It is clear that he had thought long and hard about this delicate subject, and had decided from early that he was prepared to fight for the good of his country and his people.

Everything he has done from then to now is in keeping with that promise he made on August 8, 2020.

One can see the President’s genuine attempts to unite Guyanese and give everyone access to a good life, based on all that he has done since taking office.

He has used every opportunity he could to play up the need for a united Guyana and the benefits this would have for all Guyanese.

From the implementation of various economic measures, community visits and engagements with persons from all walks of life, President Ali has shown that he is “the people’s President” and has no interest in disunity, discrimination or racism.

For him, the focus is promoting unity among citizens, ensuring that everyone benefits from the rich resources of this land and everyone has the opportunity to live their best life. He is focused on the mission and, based on his approach, he will not rest until the work is done.

The fight for a united Guyana continues.