…reflecting on the past shows how much we have developed – AG Nandlall
Guyana’s 59th Independence celebrations is a time to reflect on where we were in the past.
The Golden Arrowhead being hoisted at Fort Wellington to usher in Guyana’s 59th independence celebration
Attorney General (AG) and Legal Affairs Minister, Anil Nandlall, Guest Speaker at the Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice) flag raising ceremony to usher in Guyana’s 59th independence, said a country’s independence anniversary is the most important day on the calendar of any nation.
There is much to celebrate, but in doing so, we must pay attention to the numerous struggles, he charged.
“In celebration, we must reflect upon the journey that we travelled…that our fore-parents travelled to arrive at this destination where we are. Our struggles and the struggles that our fore-parents waged were many-fold. We fought in the battle to free ourselves from the chains of servitude and slavery. Then we had to fight for our democratic freedom,” Nandlall said.
Focusing on the Guyana-Venezuela border controversy, the AG reminded that British Guyana existed long before there was a country called Venezuela.
“The Dutch were here long before Venezuela was even born as a country. Essequibo existed as part of Guyana long before it had a country called Venezuela. The place that is now Venezuela used to be called Grand Colombia. It was not even Venezuela.”
Speaking of the arbitration tribunal, which was set up to settle the dispute, he explained that it did not rule in favour of Guyana.
“British Guyana lost more land than the whole of Guyana currently. We lost more land because Guyana had extended all the way very close to Caracas. That was the size of British Guyana at that time. So we lost a lot of territory when the arbitral award was handed out and, Venezuela celebrated. Because they won.”
In 1962, Venezuela laid claims to the Essequibo and halted Guyana’s Independence. An agreement was signed between the two countries, referred to as the Geneva Agreement, which paved the way for Guyana to be granted its independence.
It is as a result of that agreement that Guyana has approached the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to have the issue settled, while Venezuela will not stand by any ruling of that court.
The AG however, feels that the international community will support Guyana.
“We have the Organisation of American States (OAS), we have the United Nations (UN), we have the European Union (EU), we have the Commonwealth, we have the United States (US) Government, we have the British Government, we have the Canadian Government. All the powerful voices in the world are on our side. We have international law on our side,” the Legal Affairs Minister affirmed.
Also addressing the gathering Sunday morning at the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) Regional Chairman Vickchand Ramphal said that only a few years ago, in Region Five, things were not as they are today.
“We know of the disruption that has existed. We know of the many development projects that were put down, and the struggles and sacrifices our people went through. And today, we can gather here and say how proud we are as a region, knowing that Region Five is being transformed. Development is knocking at the doors of every citizen in this region and across all communities in Region Five, and that is because of how far ago and where we are today,” Ramphal noted.
He pointed out that there are a lot of things that are taking place in that region that should be appreciated.
