GUYANA is in a unique position to be the bridgehead between the Caribbean region and Latin America and we agree with Foreign Minister, Dr. Rudy Insanally that it should take advantage of this location.

"...it is a challenge for Guyana. We are ideally placed and I think we should grasp this opportunity for we can be this bridgehead", he said Thursday.

The fact that he has brought up the issue is perhaps an indication that the Guyana Government is moving with fresh determination to build this bridgehead, a move that is full of promise and in keeping with the emerging global realities.

Guyana and Brazil are, in a real sense, already helping to shape this bridgehead with plans for completing the Guyana-Brazil road and setting up a deep water harbour in the Berbice River that could allow the giant south of the Guyana border easier access to markets in Europe, North America, the Caribbean and elsewhere.

The bridge being built across the border Takatu River is an important link in the Guyana-Brazil road and its completion would spur work faster on the long-awaited highway.

An important factor in Guyana's bridgehead location is that other countries are anxious to see this potential realised.

"...in fact other countries see us as that, to make the link between the Caribbean and Latin America", Dr. Insanally pointed out.

In addition, similar bridgehead prospects are being explored elsewhere in the region and the Foreign Minister noted that Belize to the north is trying to do the same thing with Central America and the Northern Caribbean.

"So I think that it is a unique opportunity we have," he told reporters.

Guyana should not lose much more time in pressing ahead with exploiting this opportunity.

Although its distinction as the only English-speaking nation in South America is a valuable added advantage to being the bridgehead between the Caribbean and Latin America, Guyana would have to move towards ensuring more of its people speak languages dominant in the hemisphere.

This is an important point Foreign Minister Insanally pointed to Thursday and one that has to be taken on board by the Education Ministry, the University of Guyana and related agencies and institutions.

"In this context, I think our people should start to learn Spanish and Portuguese and be part of this new thing," the minister said, and he is right on the ball.

Some work has been done in this area with Spanish being taught in some schools but the programme has to be expanded to ensure Guyanese can benefit from the deeper links to be developed between the Caribbean and Latin America.

As Dr. Insanally noted, when the Free Trade of the Americas comes to reality, and now that CARICOM (Caribbean Community) is looking for other associations to work together with the Andean Pact and even Mercosur in expanding trade relations, everyone would have to work together.

"We would no longer have to work in little isolated circles," he said.

There is much to be done if Guyana is to advance to the bridgehead status the Foreign Minister envisages and it is imperative for all concerned to be seized of the urgency required at this time.