President Ali urges unity, vigilance, and shared responsibility as Guyana marks 59 years of independence

• Guyana stands united in defiance of Venezuela’s aggressions

As community members, uniformed men and women across the entire 83,000 square miles of Guyana gathered to celebrate its 59th Independence Anniversary, President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali reiterated the call for unity, vigilance and shared responsibility in driving the nation forward.

He made the remarks as he joined hundreds of citizens at the Albion Sport Complex in Region Six for the annual hoisting of the Golden Arrow Head to usher in its independence anniversary.

Flanked by members of the joint services, the president opened his remarks by reflecting on Guyana’s journey from colonial subjugation to sovereign nationhood, stating that independence was not simply a political act, it was a commitment to the ideals of freedom, democracy and collective destiny.

“My fellow Guyanese, independence was never just a matter of geography or autonomy. It was a sacred promise, a pledge that the people of Guyana, regardless of race, religion, class, or creed, would together build a future rooted in dignity, equity, and equality of opportunity.

We have walked the road for 59 years, sometimes with a sure footing, sometimes unsteadily, but never, never separately and never hesitantly. Now our path forward is clear. The road to prosperity lies before us,” the president emphasised.

The president called on citizens to reach across religious, ethnic and geographic lines, to forge ahead not as six separate peoples, but as a unified people.

He reminded citizens that while independence brought sovereignty, it also came with the responsibility to uphold democratic principles.

He continued by emphasising that democracy must never be taken for granted, as it forms the foundation for national development and serves as a mirror of the nation’s conscience.

He said, “History has taught us that democracy is not self-sustaining. It is fragile and it demands constant vigilance. There were years when that promise was betrayed, when elections were manipulated, ballots were abused and power was taken, not entrusted.”

As Guyana looks to host the 2025 general and regional elections this year; the head of state made an appeal to every Guyanese to defend the democratic spirit of the nation. He warned the crowd against voices that seek to divide and mislead, calling instead for a campaign grounded in performance, ideas and vision.

“It must be about performance, competition of ideas and vision. It must be about track record, not empty rhetoric. These elections must be marked with love, unity, strength of character, dignity and after the ballot circus and the results are announced, it must be about one government governing for One Guyana,” the president remarked.

He noted that a proclamation to dissolve Parliament will soon be issued in accordance with the Constitution.

President Ali also called on Guyana’s to stand in solidarity and defend the country’s territorial integrity in light of Venezuela’s continued aggressions. Guyana’s boundaries were settled by the 1899 Arbitral Award, stating that Guyana’s territory is a settled fact.

He declared, “We are not aggressors, we are protectors, but let no one mistake our peacefulness for weakness in our sovereignty. If our land is threatened, we shall rise as one nation, one people want destiny.

We shall rise not in fear, but in fear’s loyalty to the land that gave us birth and which we love unconditionally. We shall defend this nation with every beat of our hearts, every muscle in our body, every fiber of our souls. We will never waver, never falter, never surrender.”

According to the president, from every savannah, riverbank, village, and community, the flag of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana flies with proud defiance—defiance against historical injustices, foreign ambitions, and all forces that once questioned the legitimacy of our journey.

The second is to ensure that development is inclusive and reaches every citizen, leaving no one behind, to which the president said Guyana is no longer seeking development; we are achieving it.

He explained, “The coming years will be marked by even harder work as we continue building blocks of transformation. Our infrastructure transformation is beyond anyone’s wildest imagination. We are transforming our infrastructure to connect Guyana with our neighbors, to promote trade, to increase the economic space in which we operate, to expand our markets, and to remove the constraints that exist within our country.”

He also promised to serve with dignity, pride and trust, and to continue working with the men and women of the Government and the uniformed services to build a stronger Republic.

“Let us hand our children not just sovereign land, but a strong, just and flourishing nation,” he urged. “May Almighty God bless each of you, and may God bless and protect our beloved Republic,” according to the head of state.

As Guyana celebrates its 59th anniversary of independence, President Ali reminded the nation that the work of building and defending Guyana belongs to every citizen, and the best days are yet to come.