Guyana, Dominica confer top awards to Modi
GEORGETOWN, Nov 21:
Offering the mantra of ‘Democracy First, Humanity First’ for global good, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said that space and sea should be subjects of “universal cooperation”, not universal conflict.
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In his address at a Special Session of Parliament of Guyana here, Modi also said India has “never moved forward with selfishness, expansionist attitude”, and it has always been away from harbouring any feeling of seizing resources.
The Prime Minister, who arrived in Guyana on the final leg of his three-nation visit, is the first Indian head of the state to visit the country in more than 50 years.
“For the world to move forward, the biggest mantra is ‘Democracy First, Humanity First’. The spirit of democracy first teaches us to take everyone along and participate in everyone’s development. Humanity First guides our decision-making. When we make Humanity First the basis of our decision-making, the results are also ones which benefit humanity,” he said.
In his address, Modi also asserted that it is “time for awakening of the Global South”, and for its members to come together to create a new global order.
“For the world, this is not a time for conflict. It is a time to identify and eliminate the conditions that lead to conflict,” he said.
“I believe that space and sea should be subjects of universal cooperation, not universal conflict,” Modi said.
In his remarks, Modi termed the India-Guyana ties of ‘mitti’ (soil) as full of cordiality, referring to their cultural ties of over a century and a half.
He said that “Bharat says, every nation matters” and underlined that India sees island nations not as small countries but as large ocean countries.
He said that in the spirit of ‘Democracy First, Humanity First’, India is also doing its duty as a ‘Vishwa Bandhu’, acting as first responders in times of crisis.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with the cream of Caribbean leaders on the margins of the India-CARICOM Summit here and discussed strengthening bilateral ties and enhancing cooperation across several key areas towards the empowerment of the Global South.
The Prime Minister arrived in Guyana earlier on Wednesday — the first visit by an Indian head of the state to the country in more than 50 years.
Through the day, on the sidelines of the second India-Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Summit, Modi met Presidents Chan Santokhi (Suriname) and Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali (Guyana) and six of his counterparts Philip J Pierre (Saint Lucia), Gaston Browne (Antigua & Barbuda), Dickon Mitchell (Grenada), Philip Brave Davis (The Bahamas), Mia Amor Mottley (Barbados) and Dr Keith Rowley (Trinidad & Tobago).
Modi described his meeting with President Ali as “excellent” in a post on X and said the President himself enjoys “a strong bond with India.”
The two leaders reviewed the bilateral developmental cooperation, including in sectors like skill development, capacity building, agriculture, pharmaceuticals, education and energy.
“India will always be a trusted partner for Guyana in sectors like infrastructure, shipping, technology and more,” he said, calling the Caribbean nation’s support for initiatives such as the International Solar Alliance (ISA), Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) and Global Biofuels Alliance (GBA) as “noteworthy.”
During his meeting with President Santokhi, Modi reviewed bilateral relations in sectors such as trade, technology, energy and tele-medicine among others.
“Strengthening friendship with Suriname!” he said in another post on X and added: “We also discussed ways to further improve cultural as well as people to people ties.”
India will keep supporting various development related initiatives in Suriname, he added.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said the two leaders emphasised the importance of “strengthening economic cooperation” and agreed to expand bilateral cooperation in areas including defence and security, trade & commerce, agriculture, digital initiatives including UPI, ICT, healthcare, traditional medicine and pharmaceuticals, capacity building, human resource development, cultural and people-to-people engagements.
The Prime Minister said he had a “very fruitful” meeting with his counterpart from Trinidad & Tobago Keith Rowley and added that the two leaders talked about how to diversify bilateral trade linkages.
“Areas like science, healthcare, education, renewable energy and agriculture offer great potential for cooperation. It is a matter of immense joy that Trinidad & Tobago has adopted UPI. The signing of the MoU relating to agro and food processing is also a welcome step,” he added in another post on X.
The MEA said in a separate post that the two leaders also witnessed the exchange of an MoU on setting up Integrated Automatic Fruit and Vegetable Primary Processing Activities in Trinidad and Tobago.
Modi also had a “very good meeting” with Barbados Prime Minister Mottley, during which the talks between the two leaders covered areas such as science and technology, healthcare, education, climate change and agriculture.
The MEA added in a post on X: “This high-level engagement provided an opportunity for both leaders to reaffirm and strengthen the India-Barbados relationship while reviewing ongoing cooperation across several key areas, including health & pharma and collaboration at the United Nations.”
Mottley, in turn, said, the meeting focused on institutional reforms, economic collaboration, and the empowerment of the Global South.
“Key discussions included political support for reforms, potential collaborations in the pharmaceutical industry, and the idea of establishing a Caribbean bank,” she said in a post on X.
Modi had a “fruitful discussion focused on strengthening economic ties, climate change action and green partnerships” with his Bahamas counterpart Philip Brave Davis.
“The leaders also exchanged views on the ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ campaign,” the MEA said in a separate post on X.
Modi and Prime Minister of Grenada Dickon Mitchell had “a fruitful meeting” during which the duo agreed to strengthen bilateral cooperation in IT, healthcare, education and agriculture.
Modi also appreciated his efforts in hosting the 2nd India-CARICOM Summit.
About his meeting with Prime Minister Gaston Browne of Antigua & Barbuda, Modi said, “there is immense potential to further boost bilateral relations, notably in sectors such as trade, FinTech, renewable energy and climate change.”
Modi, in a post on X, also thanked Browne for Antigua & Barbuda’s support to the ISA and CDRI.
Meanwhile, Guyana and Dominica have conferred their top awards on Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his contributions during the COVID-19 pandemic and his exceptional contributions to the global community and efforts in strengthening bilateral ties with the two Caribbean nations.
The Prime Minister, who is in Guyana on the last leg of his three-nation visit, was conferred ‘The Order of Excellence’ by Guyanese President Irfaan Ali on Wednesday.
“Sincerely thank President Dr Irfaan Ali, for conferring upon me Guyana’s highest honour, ‘The Order of Excellence.’ This is a recognition of the 140 crore people of India,” he said in a post on X.
“This is living proof of your deep commitment towards our relations which will continue to inspire us to move forward in every field,” he said while accepting the award.
Modi dedicated the honour to the people of India and the deep-rooted historical ties between the people of the two countries, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a press release.
He also emphasised that his State visit is a testament to India’s continued commitment towards deepening India-Guyana friendship.
“Another feather in the cap for India! President @DrMohamedIrfaa1 @presidentaligy of Guyana conferred PM @narendramodi with the highest national award of Guyana ‘The Order of Excellence’, for his exceptional service to the global community, statesmanship and contribution in deepening India-Guyana ties,” the MEA said in a post on X.
Modi is the fourth foreign leader to be conferred with the highest National award of Guyana, according to the ministry.
Before this, the prime minister was conferred the “Dominica Award of Honour” by President Sylvanie Burton of Dominica on the sidelines of the India-CARICOM Summit here.
“Honoured to be conferred with highest national award by Dominica. I dedicate it to the 140 crore people of India,” Modi said in a post on X.
“This honour is dedicated to my sisters and brothers of India. It is also indicative of the unbreakable bond between our nations,” he said in a separate post.
“The award is a recognition of PM’s statesmanship and contribution to Dominica during the COVID-19 pandemic and his commitment to strengthening India-Dominica ties,” the MEA said in a post.
Replying to an X post by Dominica’s Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit, Modi said, “Your kind words have touched me, Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit. With deep humility and gratitude, I accept the ‘Dominica Award of Honour’.”
“You spoke about the support during COVID-19. It fills my heart with joy to see how our solidarity during COVID-19 strengthened bonds across borders and continents. We will keep working closely with Dominica in the times to come,” he added.
“In 2021, during the darkest days of the COVID-19 pandemic, your generous provision of 70,000 AstraZeneca vaccines became a lifeline for Dominica,” Prime Minister Skerrit said in his post on X.
He said the accolade was more than a symbol: “It is a tribute to your enduring legacy of leadership, your commitment to humanity, and the indelible mark you have left on nations, including ours, far beyond your shores.”
Skerrit asserted that it “transcended a donation; it was a powerful reminder that true leadership knows no borders”. “This singular act of solidarity echoed the essence of global partnership and South-South collaboration,” he said.
“This honour also reflects the shared values that unite Dominica and India – our unwavering dedication to democracy, resilience in the face of adversity, and belief in the power of unity. Today, we recognise that your inspiration extends far beyond the oceans that separate us. Like Dominica, the world owes you a debt of gratitude for your tireless efforts to uplift humanity,” he said.
Barbados will also confer its top award on Prime Minister Modi, bringing his tally of international honours to 19.
Dominica announced its top award to Modi a few days ago.
According to a statement released by Skerrit’s office on the award’s announcement, it also recognises India’s support for Dominica in healthcare, education and information technology under Modi’s leadership and his role in promoting climate resilience-building initiatives and sustainable development on a global level.
The statement quoted Prime Minister Skerrit as saying that the award is an expression of Dominica’s gratitude for Modi’s solidarity with Dominica and the wider region.
In accepting the offer of the award, Prime Minister Modi emphasised the importance of collaboration in tackling global challenges such as climate change and geopolitical conflicts and affirmed India’s commitment to working alongside Dominica and the Caribbean in addressing these issues, the statement underlined. (PTI)
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