GUYANA | Petty Politics has no Place in Protecting Guyana's Territory and People

GEORGETOWN, Guyana, November 7, 2023 - In this season of Venezuelan aggression, as a Guyanese citizen, descendants of numerous generations, I am ever more conscious of the role of the National Assembly in Guyana's body politics and that of every stakeholder vested in Guyana’s interest. I am conscious of how much the Guyanese people are counting on their elected Representatives  to protect them and this beloved land from invaders.

It is the duty of all our political leaders to speak with one accord, to reassure all Guyanese- irrespective of race or political association- that they are valued and it is our honour and privilege to protect, serve and further the real interest of all.

We are living in very serious and opportune times. How we navigate both realities would assert the Guyanese aspiration of “One People One Nation One Destiny” or falling to the wayside, the consequence of self-serving leadership. In other words, would history record us in this moment of time swimming together or separately, uncaring whether we sink each other, because we have not yet learned to appreciate our lives and destiny are intertwined.

While the naysayers may say otherwise, I present to the public, paraphrasing the sage advice of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., that we must learn to live together as brothers and sisters, or we will together perish as fools.

Venezuela’s increasing aggression is not only misplaced but devoid of legitimacy. Even as we acknowledge these we cannot ignore, in a world where might could supersede right, small nations such as ours must navigate these murky waters, sensibly.

Young Guyana, going back to 1965, has been unwavering in commitment to abide by the 1899 Arbitral Award that settled the territorial dispute between then British Guiana and the Bolivian Republic of Venezuela, under the colonial leadership of Britain.

Guyanese recall the presence of Premier Forbes Burnham during the 9^th- 10^th December 1965 at a high level meeting with Venezuelan Foreign Minister and the British Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, addressing the 7^th November 1965 Communique signed by Representatives of Venezuela and Britain, along with a Representative from British Guiana to: “Find satisfactory solutions for a practical settlement of the controversy which has arisen as a result of the Venezuelan contention that the 1899 Award is null and void.” 

On the eve of independence, the Burnham government pursued a path to resolution through the Geneva Agreement, which the Desmond Hoyte government continued and on expiration in 1990, pursued the Good Officer process which lasted until 2017. In 2018 the David Granger/Moses Nagamootoo government approached the International Court of Justice (ICJ), committed to the principle of peaceful resolution. 

This serves to remind all, in particular young Guyanese who may be unaware, or were led to believe differently, that any government the People’s National Congress (PNC) has been part of has consistently navigated this situation with due diligence and sense. In or out of government, the PNC remains committed to protecting and defending Guyana’s sovereignty through peaceful and judicious means- legal and diplomatic. 

As a Guyanese citizen, Parliamentarian , and proud member of the PNC, I join with my colleagues in the A Partnership of National Unity and Alliance for Change, to reaffirm the position taken by the PNC, historically and in these times: -All Guyana, in its present configuration belongs to all of us. Every single square inch and we are not giving up what belongs to us!

At the same time, all Guyanese, home and abroad, would like to hear similar affirmation from the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) and the repudiating of any idea- be it giving up a blade of grass, the offer to Venezuela of a “channel to the sea,” or anything for that matter, that could be construed as unpatriotic and threatening to our territorial integrity.

The National Assembly must be unanimous in conviction and purpose on the Venezuela/Guyana border controversy. All and any doubts must be removed that successive governments and the people of Guyana, including the PPP, are not engaged in any nefarious or questionable activities that comprise Guyana’s interest.  

Guyanese deserve a peaceful and lawful resolution of the controversy, as led by the Burnham government to where the matter is presently before the ICJ as placed by the Granger/Nagamootoo government.  The people of Guyana must hold their elected leaders accountable to this, failing which they will be complicit with any action taken by the PPP that does not serve the interest of the nation and its citizens. 

The last thing we, who are alive today would want is a repeat of the Severo Mallet-Prevost’s situation- the lawyer who represented Venezuela in the Arbitral Tribunal and reportedly requested, after his death, the release of a 1944 Memorandum attacking the 1899 Arbitral Award, on an allegation the Award was a political deal between Britain and Russia.

Whilst Mallet-Prevost’s contention couldn’t be further from the truth, given the Treaty that formed the basis for the Award, both Venezuela and Britain agreed “to consider the result of the tribunal of arbitration as a full, perfect, and final settlement of all the questions referred to the arbitrators,” nothing from the grave must haunt us. Mallet-Prevost’s contention lacks evidence but is being used by the Venezuelans to stir up trouble which we must be guard against. 

Hence, it is important to condemn and relinquish any notion of discussing a “deal” with Venezuela, as then Leader of the Opposition Bharrat Jagdeo told a stunned nation in October 2015. According to Mr. Jagdeo, his government was ventilating such an injudicious action- a betrayal. I remind you fellow Guyanese, that Bharrat Jagdeo was prepared to allow Venezuelan “a channel to the sea,” totally ignoring our patriotic song which admonished that:

“We ain't giving up no river
That belongs to we”

Having addressed our attention to the issue of reaffirming our commitment to peaceful and legal resolution to the border controversy and condemnation of Venezuela’s aggression, attention is turned to the internal management of the State. 

Guyanese are reminded the strength of our external defense lies in the cohesion within the State.

The disquiet and rumblings of Guyanese in this oil rich and world’s fastest growing economy are increasing. Citizens are signaling growing intolerance with the pervasive social, economic and political injustices, particularly when they are entitled to fair treatment. The PPP government is reminded that turning a blind eye, pretending there is no societal dysfunction, could lead to grave consequences.

The discriminatory management of the State is inconsistent with our national motto and laws. A misguided, visionless, poorly executed ‘one Guyana’ policy is not only myopic but anti-national, unpatriotic, feeds internal divisions that external forces would seek to exploit in furtherance of their national interest. We are “One People One Nation One Destiny.” To said allegiance, we in the APNU+AFC pledge to cherish and defend all 83, 000 square miles of land and 53, 374.7 square miles of our Exclusive Economic Zone from foes, external and any who dare think they can attack us from within.

This land and its waters are ours-
“From the Rupununi, to the Corentyne,
From the green heart forest, to the Atlantic waters;
The land was made for you and me.”

The PPP therefore has a duty to partner with the APNU+AFC and sincerely fight for this land, its institutions and symbols of State, the welfare of each citizen, and everything under Guyana’s skies.  Political leaders must show the world that in this moment in time when issues require putting the Guyanese people and Nation over self, we delivered.