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INDEPENDENCE CELEBRATIONS – 2011

Last Updated: May 26, 2011- GINA

Ministry of Culture, National Archives opens annual exhibition for Independence Anniversary at the National Museum
The Ministry of Culture, Youth & Sports in partnership with the National Archives yesterday opened its annual exhibition in celebration of Guyana’s 45th Anniversary of Independence at the National Museum.
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Guyana on stable development course, a path-finder in climate change – President Jagdeo 
– at  45th Independence anniversary

Georgetown, GINA, May 25, 2011

Guyana is on a stable developmental pathway, with an economy that is one of the strongest in the Caribbean, having experienced the sixth consecutive year of strong economic growth, in addition to being one of the fastest growing economies in CARICOM for the past five years.
President Bharrat Jagdeo in his final independence address at the National Park, this evening as Guyana observed its 45th anniversary since having gained its freedom from Great Britain, told a packed park of the country’s unwavering development.

President Bharrat Jagdeo inspecting the guard of Honour at the 45th Independence anniversary celebration

He noted that if the country is to craft a Guyana that can take its rightful place among the nations of the world, then the vision beyond what might have seemed innovative just 10 years ago needs to be upgraded.
“Our vision for Guyana still includes the need for an expanding, broadly based economy. That is why our sustained economic growth and the prudent management of public finances is enabling us to keep inflation low, our currency stable and to build our national reserves to their highest level ever, all while dealing with the greatest global financial crisis in our independent country’s history,” he said.
 That vision, he said, needs to support the development and expansion of a vigorous and globally competitive private sector; it still needs to stay the course in modernising the traditional economic sectors, especially sugar which continues to recover from the major trading shocks of recent years; it still needs to capitalise on the increasingly valuable mining sectors and also to enshrine the principle that economic success must be combined with social justice.

“We need to look to a field of vision greater than we have had in the past. And the foundations we have built over the last decade and more mean that we can go out and benefit from that field of vision,” President Jagdeo said. 

He noted that part of realising that vision will be as a result of decisions already taken by the PPP/Civic Government.
“The new fibre optic cable link with Brazil, and the completion of the work to liberalise our telecommunications industry, will enable further reductions in the cost of telephony and bandwidth, and revolutionise the digital access of citizens and businesses across Guyana.
Our One Laptop per Family programme will equip 90,000 families to use some of the most modern technology in the world. Already, 3,000 young Guyanese are working in the call centre industry, which did not exist just 10 years ago. Our new educational channel will use modern communications to help our children advance. It is difficult to over-state how Guyana is on the threshold of a national digital revolution.”

Youths from Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport performing “Jewel of the Earth” during the 45th Independence anniversary celebration

He spoke of cleaner, cheaper energy to be delivered via the Amaila Falls hydropower project for the benefit of Guyanese and businesses.
“This will transform our national competitiveness, and as the largest investment in the history of Guyana, it will demonstrate to the world that Guyana is able to attract foreign direct investment and use that investment to catalyse large scale, world class infrastructure programmes. And it will almost eliminate our dependence on fossil fuels for energy generation, and make us one of the top twenty clean energy economies in the world,” the Head of State said.
The funds from Norway for forest services will be utilised to create the new economy, ‘powered by clean energy, and connected by digital world class infrastructure, built on the productive use of our human, financial and natural capital’, he said.
Speaking of Guyana being a path-finder, with respect to its success in the climate change fight, he noted that the country’s vision can be further expanded.
“In the coming months, we will establish our next two protected areas – at Shell Beach and in the Kanuku Mountains. Once this work is complete, it will bring us very close to having 12% of our national territory as protected areas – on top of the efforts we are making in our rainforest. Few countries in the world can match this record.”

A section of the gathering in the national Park for the 45th Independence anniversary celebration

The PPP/C Government is also working to enable all Amerindians to have collective ownership of their lands, if they request this to be done.
“Already, the amount of Guyana which is under Amerindian ownership has increased to 14% of our territory. The Government has committed to increase that and to address the land titling requests of every village that requests this by 2015.”
Speaking on the topic of international engagement, President Jagdeo said it is key to the next era of progress because if “we combine the vision and courage to integrate with our neighbours and the wider world with the greater civic consciousness I speak of, we will create a far better life for our citizens at home.”
Touching on the issue of the upcoming elections, he noted that, “‘the run up to those elections will see much passion, debate and contestation of ideas. This competition is healthy and in the nature of democracies everywhere. It is a robust national conversation that should be embraced, not shunned. But once it has taken place, our country will unite again behind our new President, who will take over the responsibilities of stewarding our nation towards its next era of progress.”
Earlier in the evening patrons were entertained with local talents in the form of dances, songs and a fusion of tassa and African drumming.

Fireworks display above the Golden Arrowhead at the 45th Independence anniversary celebration

There were performances by the Nitrageet dancers, Classique Dance troupe, Kross Color Studio, Dance Fanatics and Junior and Adult Calypso monarchs.
Among the highlights of the evening were excellently orchestrated military drills and inspection of the guard of honour by the Commander – in – Chief President Bharrat Jagdeo.
A cultural presentation organized by the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport featured a performance by hundreds of children performing dance moves that symbolize various aspects of Guyanese customs and traditions. Their combined performance was well received by the crowd.
The Golden Arrowhead decorated with the famous colours green, white, yellow, black and red was slowly hoisted at midnight under which stood President Jagdeo, Prime Minister Samuel Hinds and Minister of Culture Youth and Sport Dr. Frank Anthony.
Alongside him stood Chief of Staff of the Guyana Defence Force Commodore Gary Best, other officers of the army and the Guyana Police Force standing in the salute position in loyalty to the national symbol.
As the flag made its way to the top to the loud sound of the gun salute, there were loud cheers from the crowd in the National Park.
A dazzling display of fireworks put on by members of the Guyana Defence Force high in the skies was witnessed by all, to end the evening.
Guyana achieved its independence from Great Britain officially on May 26, 1966 after a long struggle by Guyanese who are today recognized for their leadership and courage in the face of adversity.