President Ali confers second highest national award to PM Gonsalves

Jan 05, 2023 News

Kaieteur News – President Irfaan Ali on Tuesday night bestowed Guyana’s second highest award, the Order of Roraima on Prime Minister of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Dr. Ralph Gonsalves.

President Irfaan Ali confers the Order of Roraima on Prime Minister, Ralph Gonsalves

At a special dinner at State House, the Guyanese Head-of-State said he was honoured to present the prestigious award to the long-standing regional politician, the Office of the President reported. “The conferral of Guyana’s Order of Roraima is in deserved recognition of the tireless commitment and unflinching contributions which Dr. Gonsalves has made to the cause of regionalism and regional integration.”

The President also praised Prime Minister Gonsalves’s solidarity with Guyana in protecting the country’s democracy and territorial integrity. He called Dr. Gonsalves a Caribbean man who has been committed to “democracy, peace, security and development of the Caribbean.”

The Head-of-State also lauded the other regional and national individuals who stood up for “democracy, the rule of law, and freedom” in Guyana. He said they would be recognised for their contributions later in the year. Vice President, the Honourable Dr. Bharrat Jahdeo; Ministers of the Government; former President Donald Ramotar; Secretary-General of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), Dr. Carla Barnett, Chief of Staff of the Guyana Defence Force, Brigadier Godfrey Bess; Police Commissioner Clifton Hicken and other Government Officials were also at the event. Prime Minister Gonsalves is on a four-day Official Visit to Guyana. The Prime Minister of Barbados, Mia Amor Mottley, is also a recipient of the Order of Roraima.