Bush Lot Women’s Group to get assistance
-meets President
President Jagdeo meeting with the Bush Lot Women's group
Georgetown, GINA, December 5, 2006
A newly-formed women’s group at Bush Lot, Region Five (Mahaica/Berbice) will soon receive assistance following a meeting with President Bharrat Jagdeo at the Office of the President today.
The women explained to the President that they needed assistance to carry out their functions and according to President of the group, Debbie Sukra, President Jagdeo promised to assist by providing computers, kitchen utensils and other amenities.
President Jagdeo has, over the years, been assisting a number of schools, women’s and other groups with computers as Government continues its thrust to promote the use of modern technology and computer literacy.
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‘We must settle this urgent matter of our maritime boundary with Suriname with firmness, but with dignity’-President Jagdeo
Georgetown, GINA, December 5, 2006
President Bharrat Jagdeo today appealed to Guyanese to have a mature understanding of Guyana’s actions in relation to the Guyana-Suriname border issue. He was speaking at a press conference to officially announce that the oral hearing of Guyana’s initial claims under the United Nations Law of the Sea Convention on the issue would begin in Washington on Thursday, December 7 at the Organization of American States’ (OAS) building.
The Head of State said that the issue with Guyana’s neighbour to the east must be settled with firmness but also with dignity so that both countries’ peoples can move forward in friendship with enhanced prospects for development.
“I repeat those urgings now so that generations to come will look back on this time with satisfaction with the course we took under the law, in protection and development of our national patrimony,” he emphasised.
The Head of State recalled that in February 2004, when he spoke on the issue that he had said that despite the Government of Guyana and other political parties’ differences in other matters, they have always been united in matters affecting Guyana’s territorial integrity.
“Today, let us go forward in unity as One People, One Nation with One Destiny, in affirming our resolve to stand together in defense of our territorial integrity under the law of Guyana, under the law of Nations,” the Head of State said.
President Jagdeo also urged the local media not to make the hearing a time of public confrontation and noted that he will exercise a self-denying ordinance of making no public comment on the issue during the hearing.
Guyana had initiated proceedings under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea in relation to the maritime areas of Guyana and Suriname in 2004.
The President pointed out that the purpose of the proceedings was to obtain a definitive ruling on the delimitation of the maritime spaces-a binding determination of the boundary between Guyana and Suriname of the territorial sea, the exclusive economic zone and the continental shelf.
“In taking this action, Guyana sought to bring to an end the differences between Guyana and Suriname over that maritime boundary-differences which have hitherto undermined efforts to develop the resources associated with those off-shore areas and a deprivation which already poor countries cannot afford,” President Jagdeo noted.
He added that the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which the international community has agreed on in happier times of global cooperation, offered a path to the resolution of ‘such wasteful agreements’.
President Jagdeo emphasised that Guyana had a particular respect for the Convention, and that after more than a decade of international negotiation, it was concluded at Montego Bay, Jamaica in 1982.
“What is more, it was Guyana’s ratification of it-the 60th ratification-which brought the Convention into force.”
The Head of State said Guyana was fortunate to have secured the services of very eminent international arbitrators with a panel presided over by Dr. Dolliver Nelson of Grenada, the former President of the Standing International Tribunal on the Law of the Sea, while Dr. Kamal Hussain of Bangladesh and Professor Ivan Shearer of Australia are the other two Arbitrators nominated by the parties jointly.
President Jagdeo said that when the hearing is completed, it will be several months before the Tribunal delivers its Award. This, he said, may be until May, 2007.
He pointed out that both Guyana and Suriname wished for a neutral venue and the OAS generously offered its Headquarters Building for what it recognized to be a peace-building process between two Member States.
Addressing the Tribunal on Guyana’s behalf will be Minister of Foreign Affairs Rudy Insanally, Sir Shridath Ramphal, Mr. Paul Reichler of the Washington Legal Firm of Foley Hoag, Professor Phillipe Sands of the University College in London, Professor Nico Schriver of Leiden University and Dr. Payam Akhavan of McGill University. They are to be supported by technical consultants.
The Head of State noted that despite the border issue, Guyana and Suriname have been having good bilateral relations.
The hearing is expected to conclude on December 20.
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