“A nation at peace is the best antidote to threats against its sovereignty” – Pres Ali

– says Guyana will fiercely defend its territorial integrity

President Dr Irfaan Ali on Saturday said that a nation that is at peace within sends a powerful message to the world outside, especially to those who are threatening its sovereignty and territorial integrity.
“A nation at peace with itself is the best antidote to threats against its sovereignty. And this, my friends, is the peace we must preserve; the peace we must defend; the peace we must protect at all costs,” the Head of State, who is also the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces in Guyana, declared.

He noted that this sense of national strength and unity must be displayed in the country’s Parliament, which is set to be reconvened on Monday.
According to the Guyanese leader, “A nation united in purpose and spirit becomes an immovable pillar against those who may seek to exploit international divisions or regional instability for their own dark designs… To the Speaker of the National Assembly…that unity and strength of a nation must be reflected in what comes out of our Parliament.”
President Ali’s remarks come on the heels of heightened tension in the Latin America and Caribbean region as the United States conducts military operations off the Venezuelan shore to combat transnational crime and the illicit drug trade.
Washington has deployed fighter jets, warships and over 10,000 troops to the Caribbean as part of this operation that saw strikes on over a dozen boats and a semi-submersible vessel, killing more than 60 people.
The President had previously said that Guyana will work with the regional and international partners, including the US, to protect its citizens and territory as well as to ensure that the region remains a zone of peace and support efforts to combat transnational crime and illicit narco trade in the region.
President Ali made these remarks on Saturday at the Guyana Defence Force’s (GDF) 60th Anniversary Service at the National Cultural Centre in Georgetown.
The Commander-in-Chief pointed out that the GDF, since its establishment in 1965, has guarded Guyana’s peace and shielded its people.
“Though we are a small nation by size, we are large in spirit. And our Defence Force has proven that having such an institution was not only wise. It was necessary. From its inception, the Guyana Defence Force was entrusted with a sacred mission: to safeguard our territorial integrity and sovereignty, to protect our independence, and to defend our citizens against armed aggression. This mission spans both land and sea. This mission remains as vital today as it was sixty years ago,” he posited.
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According to the Head of State, the men and women in the army have worked tirelessly to keep Guyana and its people safe, standing watch at the country’s borders, guarding the airspace, and patrolling the rivers and vast coastline.
He reiterated that while the GDF is not a force of aggression, its commitment to peace and stability must not be taken as weakness.
“Ours is not a military that seeks to provoke or threaten. Rather, it is a force of peace, protection, and patriotism… It is not an instrument of intimidation… Yet, let none mistake our commitment to peace as a sign of weakness. We are peaceful, yes, but we are prepared. And we will fiercely defend our territorial integrity and sovereignty against all threats, from wherever they may come. We will guard our borders. We will protect our people. We will preserve our peace. And we will do so with resolve,” he contended.
President Ali went on to note that threats to peace, today, can be unpredictable and senseless at times, citing last Sunday’s bombing attack at the Mobil Gas Station in Georgetown that left a six-year-old girl dead and several others injured. He strongly condemned the horrific terrorist act, for which a Venezuelan national has been arrested and confessed to committing.
Though justified, the Guyanese leader pleaded with citizens not to let this be the source for spreading hatred and discrimination, especially towards immigrants in the country.
“Guyana will remain a compassionate nation but one that is also vigilant, strong, and aggressive in the protection of its citizens and sovereignty. The Guyana Defence Force will continue to play a vital role in maintaining this balance,” the Commander-in-Chief noted.
He said the army will support the other law enforcement agencies in upholding law and order, ensuring that Guyana remains a society of peace, stability, and justice.
Over the last few years, the Nicolás Maduro-led regime in Venezuela has been intensifying threats and aggression towards Guyana over its spurious claims to two-thirds of Guyana’s landmass – the entire Essequibo region and a portion of its Exclusion Economic Zone (EEZ), where over 11 billion barrels of oil equivalent (boe) have been found and production as well as other exploration activities are currently being undertaken offshore Guyana.
Guyana has since filed judicial proceedings at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), seeking a final and binding settlement of the 1899 Arbitral Award that determined the boundary between the two South American neighbours. That matter is still pending in the World Court, and a decision could be delivered as soon as next year.
However, tensions between the two neighbours escalated back in March of this year after a Venezuelan naval ship entered Guyana’s waters and threatened several offshore oil vessels.
But the GDF’s Chief of Defence Staff, Brigadier Omar Khan, stated during Saturday’s anniversary service that the Guyanese army was established with the vision that it would stand as the shield of the nation, ready to defend its sovereignty, uphold its values and serve its people – something that it is still committed to.
“Today, six decades later, that vision lives on in every officer and rank who proudly wears and would have worn this uniform. From our early beginnings to our modern achievements, the Guyana Defence Force has remained steadfast in defending our borders, safeguarding our people and contributing to national development,” Brigadier Khan noted.
According to the Army Chief, there have been increased efforts over the last few years to bolster the GDF by expanding its presence across the air, land, sea and cyber domains. It has also upgraded its operational capability and infrastructure to defend the nation whose global profile is rising.
He declared that this is “…A Guyana that is no longer rich in promise, but one that is now commandeering its own potential to realise what that potential is.”
To this end, the Chief of Defence Staff noted that the GDF is ready and prepared to ensure the development of Guyana and its people.
“We are here to serve our people, and serve we must. And so, let this 60th anniversary ignite in us a renewed sense of purpose. Let it remind us that every act of service, every mission completed and every standard upheld contributes to something greater – the safety, the stability and the sovereignty of Guyana,” Brigadier Khan stated.