Strength in numbers: religious community joins hands and voices against Venezuela’s threats against Guyana
The religious community in Guyana is not shying away and remaining silent in the wake of Venezuela’s aggression towards Guyana, and its claims over Guyana’s Essequibo region.
In a show of national unity and a demonstration of strength in numbers, Guyana’s leading religious groups: the Christians, Muslims, and Hindus, have joined together with all other religious and spiritual groups and denominations to publicly stand as one united body against Venezuela’s threats against Guyana.
Hon. Bishop Juan Edghill, Minister of Public Works, with the support of fellow cabinet colleagues Hon. Kwame McCoy, Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister with responsibility for Public Affairs, and Hon. Dr. Vindhya Persaud, Minister of Human Services and Social Security, on Tuesday afternoon, met virtually with these faith-based and spiritual leaders from every region of the country, to finalise plans and to rally all like-minded citizens to join “Hands Guyana” in the Circle of Unity on Sunday.
On that day, December 3rd, 2023 from as early as 6 o’clock in the morning, teams will begin gathering in strategic places to form “Hands Guyana”, where citizens will hold hands in the streets throughout the country to demonstrate their patriotism and unity.
Those assembly points will be published in the media. However, citizens are asked to get ready to come out of their homes by 6:30 am, as the activity is planned to begin from 7:00 am until 8:00 am.
Persons are also asked to wear national colours.
Later, on Sunday evening, Guyanese are asked to gather at the Guyana National Stadium from 5:00 pm for “A Night of Patriotic Reflection”
Minister McCoy in brief remarks, urged Guyanese to be an inspiration to each other and to be especially encouraging to the young people among us, who are eagerly looking on at all that is happening.
“Send the right message, make an impact, and ensure everyone is on board, our friends, family, our neighbours.” … “Demonstrating our unity and strength and patriotism in the largest most pronounced manner, this is what we must do, this is all about us, our country, our future,” he noted.
Meanwhile, Minister Edghill reminded the gathering that Guyana is pursuing a path of peace, and diplomacy, awaiting the ICJ ruling, and is engaging its allies. However, he noted that this is also that pivotal moment when Guyanese must demonstrate their own strength, brotherhood and sisterhood, and nationhood.
“Sometimes we think it’s just a photo opportunity but that picture of us standing together is affirming that all 83 thousand square miles of Guyana belongs to us. Essequibo belongs to Guyana.”
Minister Edghill said this is the time that everybody must be brought together.
“We want everybody to join in at 7 o’clock holding hands in a circle of unity across the country, we want everybody to be involved, every village, every group, every community. This issue of Venezuela is beyond politics, all political parties are on board together, this is not a government thing, it’s not an opposition thing, it’s a Guyanese thing,” He stated.
The Minister has also urged the leaders gathered, to add ideas to what has already been established by the group and to replicate these within smaller groups: businesses, civil society, schools, etc.
Many of the groups who attended the meeting have already started praying and fasting for Guyana’s sovereignty.
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) will deliver its Order on Guyana’s request for provisional measures to prevent Venezuela from taking action through its provocative referendum over Guyana’s territory – Essequibo, on Friday, December 1st, 2023 at 10:00 am (Guyana Time).