His Excellency, Brigadier David Arthur Granger, President of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana
Ambassador Audrey Jardine-Waddell
Distinguished Guests
Ladies and Gentlemen.
Your Excellency, I am honored to represent the United States of America as Ambassador to the Co-operative Republic of Guyana.
The United States and Guyana have a long-standing partnership that has remained strong in the face of change. Our shared values of democracy, human rights, and economic freedom keep this partnership rooted in mutual respect.
We share a spirit of community, with dynamic expatriate and diaspora communities. And we both know the importance of fostering a multicultural society.
As I begin my time here as the representative of the American people, I am impressed by the history of collaboration and exchange between our two countries.
Together we have blazed new trails in industry and commerce, fought to safeguard the local biodiversity, and made strides to improve the health and safety of all Guyanese. As Ambassador, not only will I continue the work of my predecessors, I will aim to deepen the relationship between our two nations and our peoples, moving forward in partnership to our mutual benefit.
Guyana is embarking upon a time of significant transition and growth, and I am excited to be in Guyana for this moment in history. Your nation is poised to become a regional leader with unprecedented opportunity. While there are still many challenges to overcome, we remain committed to collaboration with the government and people of Guyana to rise above those challenges and prepare for a bright future.
Together, we can build upon the new economic opportunities developing here. The United States supports Guyana as you use your resources to invest in infrastructure, increase bilateral trade, diversify the economy, and strengthen social services. At this moment of incredible potential, we must continue to rely on each other.
During our long relationship with Guyana, we have witnessed significant progress. We have seen a strengthening of democratic processes and political institutions, along with broader political participation and citizen representation. Moving forward, we will continue to encourage genuinely free and fair elections, freedom of speech and assembly, multiparty representation, and a constitutional judiciary process. We will emphasize the importance of citizen security and territorial integrity along your long-established borders. And we will encourage the protection of your natural resources and incredible biodiversity.
As we work together to achieve our common goals, we are mindful of the ever-increasing importance of Guyana within the larger Caribbean region, as a leader in economic growth and in combatting organized crime. We are proud to partner with Guyana and the greater Caribbean community to inspire new pathways to even greater aspirations.
Your Excellency, thank you for the gracious welcome to your beautiful country. I look forward to working with you and with the people of Guyana to ensure that the strength of our relationship continues to grow.
