Oil wealth must not cloud efforts to strike out injustices – Pres Ali

Blessed with an oil boon that has made Guyana one of the fastest growing economies of the world, President Irfaan Ali has determined that the country should not lose sight of the responsibility to strike out injustices and inequalities.
At a cultural extravaganza hosted at State House to continue the Emancipation festivities on Friday evening, the Guyanese Leader determined that to build a future that is free of inequality, a collective responsibility is required where the resources trickle down to benefit people of all walks of life.

He disclosed “Today, if we are to pay homage to the sacrifice our ancestors made, we cannot close our eyes to the inequality and injustice that exists in the world. As a country, we must do our part to ensure that such injustices and inequalities are removed and all of humanity can live in peace and enjoy peaceful existence with each other.”
According to him, a collective upliftment of humanity calls for Guyanese to display strength of character.
“Our wealth and strength of character of our people must be blended together to ensure that our blessing is also a blessing for all of humanity. If we fail in this responsibility, we will be just like those who sought to extract wealth without thinking about the collective upliftment of humanity. That must never be the position we find ourselves in as a people and as a country.”
“Let us recommit that the freedom that was fought and won for us will never be taken for granted and we as a collective, will use that freedom to speak out against injustices wherever they exist,” President Ali told the gathering.
Standing on the sacrifices of ancestors, many of whom fought for freedom, he noted that this history should also be imbedded in the younger population so that the stand on the right side of the line.
“Our young population need to be imbedded with this history so that they can understand the sacrifice through which they came. They would understand the selflessness through which they came…We as a people who are the inheritors of such sacrifice have a great a responsibility and duty in the world today to ensure that wherever there is injustice, the oppression of people and dignity of people is challenged, that we stand on the right side of history.”
The Head of State also zeroed in on the elements which constitute freedom in today’s world as he called for this to be achieved.
He directed, “We cannot make freedom a way of life until we understand the value of freedom individually and collectively and what are the characteristics that make up what we consider freedom today. Democracy, the rule of law, ensuring equitable development, upliftment of all our people, protection of women’s rights, protection of our children and the vulnerable in society, this is living a life of freedom.”
Tourism Minister Oneidge Walrond noted that Emancipation was not a gift and the contributions made over the decades by Afro-Guyanese is one which should be celebrated.
Walrond underlined, “We try to overcome these lasting effects of such a horrible period of our existence. In Guyana, we find Afro-Guyanese contributing to every single area of life in Guyana, in education, Joint Services, health, arts, culture. This is something to be celebrated…We want the African-Guyanese experience to continue to live on even as continue to weave this fabric of society.”
The People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government has renewed its commitments to reparations and continued development of Afro-Guyanese, it said during the 185th Emancipation Day observance this month.
President Ali had referenced recent meetings such as the European Union – Community of Latin America and Caribbean (EU-CELAC), where progress has been made in getting recognition for the fight for reparations. (G12)