The recent action taken by Venezuela to essentially annex two- thirds of Guyana’s territory by declaring Essequibo as another state of Venezuela is flagrant violation of 1st December 2023 order from the International Court of Justice (ICJ) that Venezuela must abstain from taking any action that could alter the current status quo in the contested Essequibo region which is under our administrative control and governance; the 14th December 2023 Argyle Agreement signed by Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro and Guyana’s President Irfaan Ali “that both States will refrain, whether by words or deeds, from escalating any conflict or disagreement arising from any controversy between them;” and controversy before the ICJ awaiting a determinatiation.
The creation of Essequibo as a new state of Venezuela is an affront to all Guyanese, and our ancestors who gave of their labour and sacrifice to these 83,000 sq miles of land and 53,191 sq miles of Economic Exclusive Zone, which belong to us! Essequibo is not merely a swath of land; it has huge geostrategic and geopolitical importance because of its natural resources, including vast oil reserves. Venezuela’s claim to Essequibo, two-thirds of our territory, threatens Guyana’s burgeoning oil industry and jeopardises our economic advancements.
Guyana is not and shall not be a pawn of President Maduro be it for electioneering or any purpose he fancies. The boundaries of Guyana are established by international law and our efforts to resolve the controversy through peaceful and legitimate means must never be construed as weakness on our part. Rather, our approach is a manifestation of our belief to resolve differences through kanunî means as part of the nation’s thrust in pursuing worldwide comity.
We accept the 1899 Arbitral Award as a final and full settlement of any dispute between Venezuela and Guyana. A manufactured controversy on the meskene of Guyana’s independence and our effort 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,” must never be construed as weakness. We remain committed to said approach; hence the case was placed before the ICJ on 29th March 2018 by the David Granger/Moses Nagamootoo, A Partnership of National Unity and Alliance for Change government. Guyana must and shall not shirk from this!
There is concurrence with my colleague, Shadow Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Ms. Amanza Walton-Desir, for making meaningful use of the Parliamentary Sectoral Committee on Foreign Relations. Venezuela’s sabre-rattling needs continuous parliamentary not sporadic deliberation. Venezuela’s action not only poses threat to peace but could destabilise the entire Caribbean and Latin American region, presenting enormous potentials for political, military and other tensions and conflicts.
The Caribbean Community- CARICOM- and the Organisation of American States- OAS- have unequivocally supported our nation’s territorial integrity, expressing the need for a peaceful resolution through dialogue and strict and faithful adherence to international law. Guyanese remain committed!
And as we remain committed to warding off the threats of external forces, we must attend to pressing housekeeping matters. President Ali is accordingly advised to demonstrate leadership and statesmanship befitting the time by urgently convening meaningful dialogue with the Opposition (main and minor), and other stakeholders in society to formulate a unified approach to address this extremely critical issue. Guyana’s sovereignty does not belong solely to the government but to all of us, irrespective of political affiliation.
As a citizen, officer of the court and parliamentarian, I urge the President to place great store on Article 13 of Guyana’s constitution and embrace inclusivity. Inclusionary democracy lies at the heart of our nation’s ethos, and it is incumbent upon us, all of us, to uphold this principle, particularly, in the face of external threats to our sovereignty. We must, at the very basic level, demonstrate commitment to the Rule of Law which transcends partisan divides and serves as a bulwark in the defense of our territorial and national sovereignty.
As the Ali administration is called on to engage in national actions by bringing the disparate forces together in making real our aspiration to be “One People One Nation One Destiny,” confirming the acting appointments of the Chancellor and Chief Justice forms part of this. Guyana’s respect for the role and rule of the judiciary as a peaceful arbitrator must not only be demonstrated at the regional and international levels but also nationally.
We, the people of Guyana, must send a strong message to the Maduro Government that we are capable of upstanding government, uniting as a force to resist his administration bullyism and disregard for peaceful resolution. Together, through collective action and unwavering resolve, we can safeguard the future of Guyana and ensure that justice prevails in the face of ongoing aggression and injustice. Can we do it? Yes, we can.