WASHINGTON, CMC – The Biden administration in the United States has sought to reaffirm its “unwavering” commitment to Guyana.
This was expressed in a message on Sunday as the Republic of Guyana celebrated its 58th anniversary of political independence from Great Britain.
“Over time, our mutual embrace of democracy and resilience will persist as fundamental pillars of our robust bilateral relationship,” said US Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken in his Guyana Independence Day message on behalf of the Joe Biden administration. “Our countries are intricately linked through profound connections including education, history, economy, culture, and robust people-to-people ties.
“We eagerly anticipate continued cooperation and partnership to fortify commercial links, work towards net zero carbon emissions, foster transparent governance, increase cooperation in healthcare, uphold human rights, preserve regional stability, and combat illicit activities in the region,” he added.
Blinken said Washington’s commitment to advancing the US-Caribbean Partnership to Address the Climate Crisis 2030 (PACC 2030) “remains resolute as we confront climate change, food insecurity, and other challenges in the coming year.”
“On the occasion of Guyana’s Independence Day, the United States sends sincere wishes for a year filled with peace, prosperity, and happiness for all,” he added.
On Friday, New York City Mayor Eric Adams joined Guyanese and other officials in celebrating Guyana’s 58th Independence Anniversary Day Flag-Raising Ceremony in lower Manhattan.
“Guyana, you know, New York is the Georgetown of America,” said Adams, referring to the capital of Guyana. “One of the largest Guyanese populations is right here. “Fifty-eight years of independence, and you will continue to grow,” added the mayor. “I think you have just started as a country – the discovery of oil, the technology, the growth, the evolution. I want the ambassador and the council general to know there’s a real partnership in a home in New York.”
Adams said it took 110 mayors before the Guyanese flag was raised at Bowling Green Square in lower Manhattan last year for the first time “because we understand diversity is our strength.”
“When we acknowledge the contributions of all of our various groups, we acknowledge what makes us great, not only as a city but as a country,” he said. “We are the place where one can come, aspire, grow, and maintain your love for your homeland as you embrace your adopted land.
“That is one of the prerequisites of being American,” Adams continued. “You do not abandon who you are. You don’t call yourself American-Guyanese, African-American, American-Chinese, American-Irish. No, America said, put your culture first, hold on to it, and have it as a common denominator we all can appreciate.”
The mayor was introduced by the New York Police Department (NYPD) First Deputy Commissioner Tania Kinsella, whose mother hails from Berbice, Guyana.
Kinsella said she is the second-highest member of the NYPD “and the largest Police Department in the world,” adding that it “wouldn’t have been possible for our mayor.”
“Our mayor is the biggest advocate for us, Guyanese, in New York City, as well as all other cultures,” she added.
Adams disclosed that his chief technology officer, Matt Fraser, who was present at the ceremony, is also of Guyanese heritage.
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