Transcript: Mayor Adams Delivers Remarks At Flag-Raising Ceremony For Guyana

May 24, 2024

Watch the video here at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ohzPZNPkPsA

First Deputy Commissioner Tania Kinsella, Police Department: Guyana! Yes. My name is Tania Mohabir. I am of Guyanese descent. My mother is a proud Guyanese from Berbice and last week I had the greatest opportunity to take a trip to our sweet Guyana and then I think I brought the heat and the sunshine back with me. 

I visited President Ali and so many different other locations and I have to tell you, what everyone said here today. Guyana is going up and going up. We are soon going to be one of the top Caribbean, if not the top Caribbean country in the Caribbean. Thank everyone here today. 

Me myself, I'm the second highest member of service and the largest Police Department in the world and that wouldn't have been possible for our mayor. Our mayor is the biggest advocate for us Guyanese in New York City in all other cultures. Let's give it up for our wonderful our only Mr. Mayor Eric Adams.

Mayor Eric Adams: Thanks so much commissioner. I really thank all of you and I think that many of you probably did not hear her correctly. She is the number two and the largest Police Department, the most significant Police Department on the globe. That is being held by a Guyanese these American and that's a significant accomplishment to reach that level. 

We have others. My chief technology officer, Matt Fraser, who's standing here now, also of Guyanese. He was quick to remind me that those with the most swagger in my administration is from Guyana. 

Guyana, you know, New York is the Georgetown of America. One of the largest Guyanese populations are right here. Fifty eight years of independence and you will continue to grow. I think you have just started as a country. The discovery of oil, the technology, the growth, the evolution. I want the ambassador and the council general to know that there's a real partnership in home here in New York. 

It took one hundred and ten mayors before the Guyanese flag was raised here last year for the first time because we understand diversity is our strength. When we acknowledge the contributions of all of our various groups, we acknowledge what makes us great, not only as a city, but as a country. 

We are the place where one can come and to aspire and to grow and to maintain your love for your homeland as you embrace your adopted land. That is one of the prerequisites of being American. You do not abandon who you are. You don't call yourself American Guyanese, African-American, American Chinese, American Irish. No, America said, put your culture first, hold on to it and have it as a common denominator that we all can appreciate. 

Because of that, we're able to continue to have people come from all over the globe and say they want to make this their home. I say to those who are waiting on the line to touch the ball. I say to those who are visiting this city. There's two types of Americans, those who live in New York and those who wish they could. We're the lucky ones.