PRESIDENT, Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali has described the recent victory by the Guyana Amazon Warriors as an ‘uplifting moment.’ The President was on stage to witness first-hand the euphoria and joy felt by Guyanese at the Guyana National Stadium which saw the home team beating the Trinidad and Tobago Knight Riders in the final to bring home the coveted trophy for the first time since the commencement of the games 10 years ago.

The victory is all the more significant given the fact that Guyana is now enjoying one of its best moments, thanks to the enlightened policies of President Ali and the PPP/C administration. Indeed, there is a convergence of economic, social and cultural extravagance which, when taken together, has created a new dynamic that is not only uplifting, but profoundly gratifying.

Guyana is now seen as the entertainment capital of the Region. This fact became evident during the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) games, which saw a record number of tourist arrivals. The country was severely challenged in terms of hotel accommodation despite the expansion of hotel capacity in recent years.
In all of this, full credit is due to President Ali who was instrumental not only in bringing the final set of games to Guyana, but also in putting together the Cricket Carnival which has now become a true fusion of cricket, art, culture, food and music.

Guyana has clearly stolen the limelight, not only on the regional but on the international stage as well. Indeed, President Ali’s proactive role on the global stage has won him accolades from several world leaders who lauded him for his strong advocacy role on a number of key and critical issues including climate change, food security, energy security and fair and equitable treatment for developing countries by the richer nations.

During his address to the United Nations General Assembly, he urged greater adherence to the principles of multilateralism, which he saw as the most effective approach to deal with the challenges of climate change. He also took issue with the existing financial architecture which, he argued, is incapable of addressing current global challenges.

In terms of regional issues, President Ali urged urgent and decisive action to deal with the crisis in Haiti in order to arrive at a comprehensive resolution. He called for the dismantling of the unacceptable embargo against Cuba. On the issue of Ukraine, he re-affirmed Guyana’s support for the principles of national sovereignty and territorial integrity as enshrined in the United Nations Charter. He commented on ‘the disparity in the approach to other countries and regions in the world which, he said, must be corrected.

But it was on the issue of Venezuela’s continuing threats to Guyana’s sovereignty and territorial integrity that earned him the respect and support of several world leaders and regional bodies including that of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and the Organization of American States (OAS).

President Ali is certainly enjoying the spotlight, both on the regional and the international stage. His intellectual and at times nimble responses to several issues at roundtable conferences and his interaction with the international media on a range of topical issues, including reparation, has earned him the respect and admiration from Guyanese at home and abroad.
President Ali has emerged as a statesman of no mean order. He has proven himself to be in the league of big thinkers, whose grasp and knowledge of world affairs and his ability to analyse and interpret complex issues are second to none.