HAPPY NEW YEAR’S DAY TO ONE AND ALL!

Jan 01, 2019 News

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Today marks the first day of 2019 and we at Kaieteur News would like to thank all of our readers for your unwavering support throughout 2018. We pray that we can retain an untainted relationship with you as this New Year unfolds.
Even as we look to the Creator for continued guidance to sustain the path that we trod as a member of the Fourth Estate, we also extend a prayer that you and your families will also benefit from the guidance of the Almighty going forward in 2019.
A number of organizations have also joined in expressing New Year’s Day wishes some of which can be seen below.

PEOPLES’ NATIONAL CONGRESS REFORM
Happy New Year! May Prosperity come to every home, family and community in this our dear land of Guyana.
The People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) extends greetings for a Happy New Year to all Guyanese at home and in the Diaspora. As the Year 2018 fades into history we welcome in 2019, assured in the knowledge that the people of Guyana have confidence in our governing Coalition, to continue managing the affairs of this nation.
The PNCR and its coalition partners in government, last year, faced many challenges. Thankfully, we are better together than asunder. This year we will work even more closely together to eliminate armed robberies, contraband smuggling, money-laundering, narcotics trafficking and other crimes; to staunch the dropout rates and unemployment of our youth; and more importantly to defeat the Peoples’ Progressive Party (PPP) once again, whenever elections are held.
As the New Year dawns, the PNCR calls on all Guyanese, regardless of race, ethnicity, political affiliation or religion, to participate in bringing about the transformation of our country so that Guyana’s vast resources may, at last, be made to serve the imperative for development and social advancement of all the people of Guyana.
On this, the first day of the New Year, it is our hope that all of us will realize a measure of prosperity in our personal lives and that each of us, wherever we may be, will endeavour to make some contribution, however small, to the development of our country.
The PNCR, therefore, looks forward to participating, as it has successfully done in the past, in the continuing drive for the peaceful development of this dear land of ours. The Party wishes all Guyanese a very Happy New Year and looks forward to 2019 with optimism and hope.
May God Bless our Nation as we strive to provide a Good life for all Guyanese!

PEOPLE’S PROGRESSIVE PARTY
Once again a New Year is upon us and as we welcome it, the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) joins with all others in extending best wishes for a peaceful, prosperous and productive 2019 to our Guyanese brothers and sisters here at home and in the Diaspora. The advent of a New Year is generally met with excitement by some who, among other reasons, may seek a new beginning or to continue to build upon the success achieved. For others, it is met with a sense of trepidation as uncertainty over what it may bring, prevails. No doubt, many would have good reasons to label 2018 as a challenging year with expectations that 2019 becomes much easier. Unfortunately, with each New Year, new challenges may be forthcoming. However, our people have proven their resoluteness in finding ways to mitigate and confront adversities. As customary, this time offers the opportunity for introspection to assess strengths and weaknesses which provide guidance to aid in the sustaining of and the achievement of desired success.
As the New Year dawns, our country is facing an unprecedented moment in its history causing some to harbour a feeling of uncertainty. As we traverse this period, our Party remains confident in the steadfastness of all Guyanese and in our collectively efforts which will strengthen us to address whatever challenges may lie ahead. This is a time that hope must not be lost and spirits not allowed to be broken as together we endeavour to work in the best interest of our country to unlock its potential for its advancement and that of all of its people. Let us in the New Year work assiduously to strengthen bonds of togetherness and brotherhood to aid in the realization of the fundamental value of our national motto and to engage in renewal of ideas for the attainment of success. Once again best wishes for a joyous New Year!

INDIAN ACTION COMMITTEE
The Indian Action Committee [IAC] wishes all Guyanese a happy, prosperous and peaceful New Year 2019.
The IAC is cognizant of the tensions in the country following the defeat of the APNU+AFC Coalition Government by way of a No-Confidence Motion on 21st December 2018 and is calling upon all citizens to exercise calm judgement in the current unsettled political situation in Guyana and do nothing to cause mischief and thereby disturb the peace.
The IAC is also cognizant of the serious threat to the stability of the country caused by opportunistic Venezuelan aggression in which a Venezuelan warship violated Guyana’s sovereign territory and forced a vessel contracted by ExxonMobil and its partners to flee an area where the ship was carrying out lawful seismic geophysical activities on behalf of the private companies and the State of Guyana.
The IAC is calling upon President Granger and the leadership of the political parties represented in the National Assembly to act quickly to prevent both internal and external turmoil, all of which will have devastating effects here.
The IAC wishes to commend the courage of Mr. Charrandass Persaud in doing what he did at the National Assembly of the evening of Friday, 21st December 2018.
The IAC hopes that the struggling national economy, with the help of political cooperation, can be made to improve in such a manner as to alleviate the suffering of hundreds of thousands of impoverished Guyanese citizens including the dislocated sugar workers at Wales, Rose Hall and Skeldon.
The IAC hopes that the new government will move swiftly to deal with these pressing socio-economic and diplomatic problems facing the nation.
The IAC, having just successfully hosted its 2018 Christmas outreach at Hope Estate Primary School for approximately 200 children of all ethnicities, will have its first programme in 2019 on January 26 to remember the victims of the Lusignan Massacre which occurred almost 11 years ago in 2008.
Happy New Year 2019.

CHAIRMAN OF THE CARIBBEAN COMMUNITY [CARICOM], DR. TIMOTHY HARRIS, PRIME MINISTER OF ST. KITTS AND NEVIS
As the Caribbean Community enters this New Year 2019, it is with a renewed vigour and determination to maintain the momentum with which we ended 2018.
This is the final year of our first five-year Strategic Plan and preparations have already begun for the second Plan which will build on the accomplishments of its predecessor.
There is no doubt that the CARICOM Single Market and Economy is the linchpin of our efforts at sustainable growth and development and in the coming year we will be looking to further advance its implementation from what has been achieved in 2018.
When we gather in St Kitts and Nevis in February for the Thirtieth Inter-Sessional Meeting of the Conference we will conduct a special session on Air and Maritime Transportation to focus on this critical aspect of integration as a whole and the CSME in particular. An efficient and affordable transportation system would be a tremendous stimulus to trade and intra-regional tourism thereby strengthening two critical aspects of integration.
At the core of our thrust for growth and development is a well-educated and healthy workforce. Our Community’s commitment to battle against the ravages caused by chronic non-communicable diseases is unrelenting. Our Ministers of Health have agreed on a programme called Caribbean Moves which seeks to create a culture of regular physical activity and healthy eating through exciting, fun and supportive programs where people live, work, study and play. It is a whole society approach that we must embrace to tackle this continuing threat to our greatest resource – our people.
At a High-Level meeting at the United Nations we once again brought to the attention of the international community, the threat that chronic NCDs is posing to our sustainable development.
Let us make 2019, the year that made the difference in combatting chronic non-communicable diseases in our Community.
We will also be making strides in implementing our Human Resource Development Strategy 2030 as we move to draft the new school curriculum with particular emphasis on Science Technology Engineering Arts and Mathematics (STEAM). It is imperative that the young CARICOM citizens are adequately prepared both for the global environment and for playing their part in helping the Region’s thrust towards sustainable development.
2019 therefore promises to be a year full of action for CARICOM. It is a year in which I look forward to us all being part of the celebration at CARIFESTA XIV which will be held during the period 16-25 August 2019, in Trinidad and Tobago, under the theme “The Tangible and Intangible – Connect, Share, Invest”. It is a celebration and promotion of our culture. It will bring together, song, dance, visual arts and other cultural expressions. It is always an event to cherish and I have no doubt that the festival will once again live up to its billing as the premier cultural exposition in the Region.
As I assume the chair of the Community for the next six months, I would like to acknowledge the sterling leadership of my predecessor in the position, the Most Honourable Andrew Holness, Prime Minister of Jamaica. He has set a standard which, with the help of my colleague Heads of Government, the Secretariat and the regional Institutions I will strive to match.
May we all have a Happy, Healthy and Productive New Year.

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