Latest update November 26th, 2024 1:00 AM
Leadership is a long, lonely lane
– says President Granger at 70th birthday celebrations
President David Granger receives a gift for his 70th birthday, yesterday.
The Guyana Police Force yesterday joined with the members of staff of the Ministry of the Presidency to celebrate the 70th birth anniversary of President David Granger.
At a surprise ceremony in the compound of the Ministry, President Granger, who was accompanied by his wife, Sandra Granger, and nephew Kevin, was serenaded with the Happy Birthday song and the song, “For he’s a jolly good fellow,’ by the Guyana Police Force (GPF) Band.
President Granger said that he was extremely happy to be Guyana’s latest septuagenarian.
“It feels good to be 70. It feels good to be surrounded by the love and support of all of you to push this country forward,” the President said to his staff.
He noted that even as he celebrates this milestone, having attained the highest office in the land, the task of being President, is not only an honour but a position that holds great responsibility. “I am happy to have the support of you all.
I can assure you that I am not a monster. I am not here to take bread out of anybody’s mouth. I just want to give you a good life and in years to come, this Ministry will continue to provide a high level of service to Guyana,” he said.
“It is not only my being 70 that is important. I have been privileged to receive the enormous support of many persons, institutions and organizations and coming here, becoming President, is certainly not the job of a single person.
I don’t think it is a victory for me. It is an opportunity to put into practice, some of the things that I believe in; things that the majority of the Guyanese people believe in. Leadership is a long, lonely lane. You have to accept responsibility for everything that happens. You cannot blame the party or someone else,” he said.
Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, who spoke at the gathering, said that it is an honour to celebrate such a milestone with the President. The President, he noted, has high expectations for the functioning of the Presidency and its office.
He said, “In terms of the way we operate, I know that it is still far from what he expects from an office of the President but we are getting there and I trust that all of you will work with me, working with this office to rise to the level that President Granger expects.”
Minister Harmon said, “On my behalf, on the behalf of all the staff here, I would like to say that we are all very happy and pleased to be a part of this celebration. I do wish that you would continue to build this nation.”
President Granger was presented with birthday tokens from the Guyana Police Force, one of which was a largely decorated cake and from the staff of the Ministry of the Presidency. Reminiscing of some of his childhood memories, the President said that coming through the last 70 years, there would have been a lot of changes in Guyana. This was even as he noted that the country had lots to do, in an effort to build a future for all the people.
“There was a time when people didn’t have wrist watches; they didn’t have radios. That is why there are so many clocks around. People didn’t have cameras. And we came out a country, [with] an image which was marked by discrimination. Our generation, born in 1945, aspired for a better future.
That is why we are so preoccupied with the future, we grew up looking for a future of a better Guyana and this is what we have committed to work towards,” the President said.
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