President plugs Team Guyana
President Bharrat Jagdeo in his address to the nation scheduled for delivery last night to mark Guyana's 30th anniversary as a Republic returned to his theme of national unity, urging the Guyanese people to be participating members of Team Guyana. He also stressed the need "to build our nation on an edifice of integrity, good character, discipline and honest dealings." Delivering his first address since ascending to the Presidency, President Jagdeo also urged the nation not to be satisfied with just the trappings of freedom, arguing that our forefathers and heroes would want us "to utilise our freedom to build a national economy that is self-sustaining; to fashion democratic institutions where the fundamental rights of all citizens are protected; to consolidate the restoration of free speech, movement and association for which they fought." "Moreover, they would revel in glory that theirs has been the sacrifice that laid the foundation for a united people, marching together under our glorious Golden Arrowhead with purpose and hope." The President also emphasised the need for the Guyanese people not to waste any more time looking back "as we enter a dynamic future. We must count anew the years of hope and opportunity before us." "If in the past we have not understood each other let us, from now on, go forward boldly to be Guyanese, think Guyanese and act Guyanese. Ours must be a thinking and acting that place our nation first, and carve out a pride of place in the world for our Guyana - our common home." Urging the nation to make Mashramani the symbol of its oneness, President Jagdeo said that "it represents the desire of people of all races to cooperate: to sing, dance and revel together; to make a harmonious blend of our cultures; and to lift our Guyanese soul to the tune of the steel pan, tabla, the masquerade drums and flute." Commenting on the children's programme for Mash this year, the President noted that "their poignant portrayal of love, unity, happiness, peace and plenty is a lesson to all Guyana." "We must never betray or destroy the innocence of our children, nor shatter their dreams full of hope and bliss," he urged the nation. "Their future cannot be realised in our Republic if those who should lead, walk separately and in different directions. Their future of hope cannot be realised if those who should know better and set standards of emulation glorify crime and criminals, and allow the desecration of our national flag." This was an apparent reference to the use of the flag to wrap the coffin of Linden `Blackie' London who was killed during an 11-hour shoot-out with the police and army earlier this month. And in reiterating his government's commitment to root out corruption, President Jagdeo stressed that the goals of the republic must be lofty ones, adding that "they must include not only the promotion of a free and sovereign state, but also ethical and spiritual values. Among these should be hard work, selfless service to our community and the nation; respect for elders; honesty and thrift." "To promote these we must continue to cleanse our society of those who enrich themselves unjustly; those who trade in illicit drugs and guns; those who plunder others mercilessly; those who do sub-standard work; and those who deliver inefficient service. We must build our nation on an edifice of integrity, good character, discipline and honest dealings." Looking to the future, President Jagdeo underscored that "despite the visible signs of improvements and change in our lives, our environment and our status, Guyana still remains a poor, developing nation. We are still burdened by an oppressive national debt." "However, our national wealth cannot sustain the life we want, at least not immediately. Many Guyanese are still below the poverty line, but my Government is working assiduously to change this situation. I need your support in this endeavour." He explained that "if wealth and job creation hold the solution to our problems, then we must all encourage investment and productive activities. We must deepen partnership with the private sector, and we must strengthen our historic bonds with labour." "No patriotic Guyanese should tell investors to fade away. We must stop endless carping and negative posturing. We have to play in one team - Team Guyana." And in a reference to the ethnic diversity of the nation, President Jagdeo urged recognition of "our indigenous peoples for lending us their way of life for emulation by the entire nation." "They have shown us how we can work and celebrate together. And who would be better to teach us than those who preceded all else on this great land? Like our many waters, we are also today many races. We must all flow in one direction, and merge our talents in a great sea of opportunities for all Guyanese." Repeating his willingness as he did in his presidential acceptance speech to extend the hand of friendship, President Jagdeo said that he has "an open invitation for constructive engagement with all political parties and social organisations." He ended his message by expressing the hope that "this year, the magical 2000, we can learn to bury old axes. We must recognise that political polarization would breed deeper alienation. We need to find creative ways of working together for the common good of all."
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