Speech #1090143694

For the first 25 years after independence. successive Guyanese governments attempted to institute a socialist economy and closely coordinated their foreign policies with the socalled NonAligned Movement. The political rights of average Guyanese were systematically denied. And the jungles of Guyana served as the home of the infamous Jonestown cult that took the life of our colleague. Congressman Leo Ryan. my friend and distinguished predecessor. Spurred by frustration with increasing political repression and poor economic performance. hundreds of thousands of Guyanese sought freedom by immigrating to our shores and to Canada. In the last decade. Guyana has begun to turn itself around.