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New
Year’s Address to the Nation of
His Excellency, President Bharrat Jagdeo
January 1, 2004
Fellow Guyanese!
The third
year of the new millennium is now history and a new year has dawned. In these
first moments of 2004 I wish to extend to you and your families best wishes
and hope that the New Year will bring you success and happiness.
Guyanese who live here, and those who are visiting, will remember this festive
season as one of the most peaceful and joyful. It was a well-deserved time
for rest and merry-making with family and friends after a hard year’s
work.
It was also a time when Guyanese remembered the less fortunate and shared
with them love and whatever they could afford – a defining characteristic
of our people.
These festivities have a lot to do with children. We spare no effort to pamper
them and succumb to their wishes. It is so wonderful to see the joy in their
eyes when they receive their gifts in an atmosphere of love and care. It is
important that we make our children happy. They will always cherish childhood
memories. It is the happy experiences that will awaken in them the unique
Guyanese qualities of kindness, generosity and compassion.
We also observe the crucial role of family and community in our lives and,
especially during this season, family members get together and renew ties.
Sometimes we are so busy or occupied with daily tasks that we do not get to
spend time with our families. It would be good if we can all resolve to spend
more time with family, especially fathers, with their children, given the
many single parent families where mothers have to face the responsibility
of child upbringing alone.
When we reflect on the past, we take pride in the fact that it is through
our individual efforts that monumental changes were effected to our landscape.
The Amerindians and all the other races that came here at different times
and under different circumstances, have shaped and continue to shape a nation
that they can proudly call their own.
It may not be easy to appreciate that our people, over the centuries, without
the benefit of modern science and technology and practically with their bare
hands, cleared forests and swamps, built dams to keep out the sea, built vast
and complex networks of canals and roads so that they can work the land and
eke out a living.
Today, the problems faced by our people pale in comparison with the hardships,
suffering and sacrifices made by our fore-parents. We must take strength from
their perseverance and resolve to succeed. We must face the future with optimism.
Though we lack the human and financial resources to solve all the problems
that confront our people today we must persist until they are resolved.
We must continue to dream big dreams for our country. We must continue to
pursue a vision that will result in a society that is prosperous and caring,
in which citizens live in security, respecting and celebrating diversity.
Guyana and Guyanese have persevered in the face of great adversities. Today,
we look around the globe and see wars, famine, hunger, disease, racial, ethnic
and religious conflicts, and extreme poverty afflict many nations. We have
not descended into the quagmire like many, as the prophets of doom would have
you believe.
We have had to face an external economic environment characterised by global
recession, diminishing development assistance and private capital flows to
developing countries, falling international prices and reduction in preferential
access for our exports, and high cost of fuel imports.
Tackling these challenges has tested us.
Another challenge has been the crime situation. The upsurge in new and violent
crimes means that more of our scarce resources have to be diverted to law
enforcement. The changed nature of crime has created a bad image of Guyana
and caused untold grief and suffering for many of our people. I wish to personally
extend sympathy to those families who have been affected. While there has
been a recent lull in the crime situation, we cannot afford to be complacent.
We will spare neither effort nor resource to tackle this problem. We need
your support and involvement. The security of our people and their property
is a high priority. Any unbiased observer will conclude that Guyana has done
well in spite of these constraints.
We have made significant progress in the social sectors by providing more
and better health, housing, water and education facilities and services. We
have opened up new opportunities in agriculture, fisheries, gold and diamond
mining, forestry and non-traditional sectors. While we must be proud of our
achievements, we must recognise that much more needs to be done. These will
remain priority areas in 2004.
Sound macro-economic management of the economy is a sacred principle of my
administration. In 2003, the economy continued to grow. Inflation remained
at single digit. The foreign exchange rate was relatively stable and many
structural changes were accomplished. Significantly, Guyana’s foreign
debt and debt-servicing burden have been reduced.
Debt reduction has been one of the strategies in a multi-pronged economic
programme to develop the country. A decade ago we used in excess of ninety
percent of revenue to service Guyana’s foreign debt. Today, not only
have we reduced the stock of debt but in 2004, we will use less than twenty
percent of revenue to service this debt. In one decade, we have restored our
country from bankruptcy to viability. We have removed the burden of the debt
from the backs of this and future generations and can now utilise more of
our resources for national development. This is a huge success story for our
country.
Economic progress must be buttressed by political stability; hence the importance
of the on-going national dialogue. So far, the talks between the Leader of
the Opposition and I have progressed well. Many of the outstanding provisions
in our reformed Constitution have been implemented. Two days ago, members
of the Public Service Commission took their oath of office. The Ethnic Relations
Commission has been established. Many of the changes to make parliament more
effective and inclusive are being implemented. My government remains committed
to this process and will do everything possible to make every Guyanese a stakeholder
in our development.
We have seen the strengthening of our parliamentary democracy. Free and fair
elections, freedom of speech, ethnic and religious tolerance, strengthening
of national institutions, the independence of the judiciary, among other things,
are all becoming the norm in our country. Our new democracy continues to allow
all our people to freely express themselves, to join whatever party they wish
and to advocate legitimate causes. At the same time we must exercise these
rights in a responsible manner. While we defend our causes, we must also respect
and defend the rights of others. It is unfortunate that some exploit these
democratic rights to show disrespect, sow seeds of discord and attack the
dignity of others. Notwithstanding, my administration will continue to pursue
policies to strengthen and deepen the rights and privileges of the Guyanese
people.
Recent measures, including legislative changes, have served to enhance transparency
and accountability in public administration.
There are some areas in which we need to take more aggressive approaches.
We must develop a culture to respect one another. In government services,
people must be treated with decorum and expeditiously. Public money and property
must be used in the most efficient manner. Corruption and poor performance
must be weeded out. Good governance must be pursued by all, including the
private sector and trade unions.
Guyana has good relations with the international community. This has resulted
in meetings at the highest levels with some of the most influential and prosperous
countries of the world in 2003. Our foreign policy has continued to secure
support for our sovereignty and territorial integrity; to improve the image
of Guyana as a destination for investment and tourism and to obtain economic
assistance for national development.
Guyana is CARICOM’s lead spokesperson on World Trade Organisation matters
and continues to play an important role in formulating regional policy positions
in relation to the Free Trade Area of the Americas and the ACP-EU negotiations.
We are also strong advocates for the early establishment of the CARICOM Single
Market and Economy, the Caribbean Court of Justice and other integration efforts.
We are working to have closer and mutually beneficial relations with our neighbours
– Venezuela, Suriname and Brazil. Our relations with Brazil improved
greatly last year, resulting in several bilateral agreements for enhancing
trade, investment and other ties between our two countries. These agreements
are already bearing fruit.
I wish to thank all the members of the international community for the support
received in 2003 especially in relation to the enhanced HIPC initiative. I
wish to particularly thank the United States of America for the tremendous
support it has given to us in the fight against the HIV/AIDS pandemic.
Today is a time for merriment. As such I do not intend to elaborate on our
development plans for 2004. I will do so shortly on another occasion.
Let us hope that together, in the New Year, we can achieve more, individually,
and as a nation. The opportunities are there. Let us use the achievement of
the past as a springboard to reach greater heights.
Many will be making resolutions for the New Year. In doing so, I urge you
to join with me in resolving to do your part in moving Guyana along the road
of peace and prosperity.
I wish to extend best wishes to all Guyanese, at home and abroad. Best wishes
to all those who are on duty in many parts of the country, especially those
in the Guyana Police Force and the Guyana Defence Force, the medical profession,
at the airport and other facilities. I also want to recognise the contributions
made by our workers, farmers and the private sector to national development.
Thanks to your hard work, the nation is on the move.
A Happy and Prosperous New Year to All!
(Embargoed until midnight)
