Minister of State, Dawn Hastings-Williams, yesterday thanked the United States (US) Air Force New Horizons team for building three community centres, one women’s shelter and providing health services to 13, 346 persons during their exercise here from May to August 2019.
According to a release from the Ministry of the Presidency, at a thanksgiving ceremony held by the Gonsalves family at their Republic Park, East Bank Demerara home, Hastings-Williams said that the team has done well and the nation is grateful.
“The Government of Guyana is very grateful for the work done by the New Horizons Exercise 2019 especially since their objectives are aligned with our national priories. The New Horizons medical outreaches to the Guyanese people are very much appreciated. In 2009, the Bel Air Nursery School and East La Penitence Health Centre were built in Georgetown by the team. This year, the team conducted training and made new impacts in new communities, recording 13, 346 patient encounters during their medical outreaches. The Government of Guyana and its people want to thank you for coming to serve and giving your very best. We appreciate what you did and you will long be remembered,” she said.
The release said that the New Horizons exercise is a US Southern Command annual event which seeks to train U.S. military civil engineers and medical professionals, who work alongside Guyanese military and health professionals in joint humanitarian aid exercises
Head of the contingent still here in Guyana, Colonel Kenneth Bratland said that this year, the team worked in Linden, Port Mourant, New Amsterdam and Georgetown, erecting three community centres in Linden and Yarrowkabra and one women’s shelter in Linden. The group also provided medical care including ophthalmology and surgery.
During the time here, the release said that the team also provided training and transferred knowledge to their local counterparts from the Guyana Defence Force (GDF), the Ministry of Public Health and several health institutions including the Linden Hospital Complex, where they were able to perform 39 surgeries applying 129 different techniques.
He noted that while the team would have worked hard, the hospitality and warmth of the Guyanese people must also be acknowledged.
“I think the greatest thing about Guyana is its hospitality and this event today really puts a cherry on top of everything else. This is amazing and we really appreciate it,” he added.
Hostess for the event, Mildred Gonsalves, who opened up her home to the team, said that she felt that the team should be thanked for the exceptional service they have provided to the country and as such, the event was organised.
“I know how hard it is to be away from home. I know that you are all making big-time sacrifices in your lives. I love you all, I love what you do and I will cheer you on,” she stated.
New Horizons is an annual US Southern Command training and humanitarian exercise.
