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What is the position of the Government of Guyana on the controversy with Venezuela?

Dear Editor,
It was with pride that I read in the Stabroek News of August 8 that some of the brilliant political minds in the Guyanese community are voicing their opinion on the Venezuelan border issue.

In the international arena nothing is fair, and many countries with military might disadvantage the weak. With this in mind, we as Guyanese should be ever vigilant and not allow our concern to dissipate, thus giving the impression that we are not vigilant and passionate about our borders. We must unite in this cause, for it is imperative for our national survival.

It is the perception of indifference on the part of the Guyanese community that spurs Venezuela to always propose economic expansion plans which exclude our input as to the use of our land. We seem to be always reacting to what Venezuela has to say about our land. We would never be able to calculate the financial impact on Guyana’s economy of not being able to develop the land which Venezuela spuriously claims.

Now that some prominent political minds have voiced their opinion, the question must be, what is the position of the Guyanese government? The current silence on the Venezue-lan issue is somewhat deafening. It is not good enough to be mute, especially when our national existence is constantly being threatened. The Government of Guyana should not sit idly by, and believe that by not objecting, there will be a change in the Venezuelan conscience as it pertains to the border controversy.

The Government of Guyana seems satisfied with the largesse it obtains from Venezuela, not giving thought to the fact that we could have been providing our own benefits to the Guyanese nation. Any unilateral proposal relating to the use of someone else’s land, our Guyanese land, is clearly usurping our authority as an independent nation. The twelve-year moratorium that the PNC had agreed with Venezuela did not provide us with much cushion; it did not give us the time we thought we needed to spur our development, because Guyana’s development was, part and parcel, dependent on the Essequibo districts providing the economic impact the nation so clearly needed.

Today, should we as citizens of Guyana, expect our government to suddenly announce that the border controversy has been resolved; that the Venezuelan government has unilaterally renounced its claim to Essequibo? When would our government be proactive, and find a solution that favours our interest?

As Dr Kirton stated, “We have to look at Venezuela not only in the context of the traditional border line but from the perspective of its increasing petro-diplomacy and the potential impact of ALBA and Petrocaribe.” That may be in the proper context, but what I see is Venezuela being satisfied in keeping its neighbour’s potential tied up in the controversy for the long term, with the intent of permanently having that neighbour in an obsequious relationship, intensifying the dependency effect. It will distribute some oil to the needy, but we could have found oil in the area that Venezuela wrongly claims to call its own, and would gladly pilfer.

We Guyanese should not lose sight of the fact that we are better served when we control our own sense of direction. Our economic position, or lack thereof, has caused us to become a migratory people. We are now seeking refuge in shores that are smaller, less economically viable with far less potential for growth and development. For a small nation, our people are now scattered worldwide, and it could be attributable to the lack of development caused by Venezuela as a consequence of its consistent but erroneous claim to our most fertile land. If we are to reverse this migratory trend we must make the effort to alleviate the current situation, where we have become dependent on the very nation that attempts to keep us in economic bondage.

Those of us that see no threat from Venezuela should consider their claim to part of the twin island nation of Trinidad. That raises the question of whether Venezuela has an expansionary ambition and where would it end?
Allowing an humongous pipeline to snake its way through the length and breadth of Guyana, is not in our best interest both economically and in other ways, and could become an albatross that we would like to remove, if and when, we develop our own hydrocarbon industry.
Yours faithfully,
Patrick Barker

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8 Responses to “What is the position of the Government of Guyana on the controversy with Venezuela?”

bgsbny
on August 21st, 2008 6:05 pm

…….. i’m almost positive that the Jagdeo administration has,, or is seriously modifying plans to accomodate venezuela and the pipeline as soon as they denounce their expnsionary claim to our land ! if the pipeline is of interest to Chavez ,, then he must know that he WILL not be able to put an INCH of pipe any where near or in GUYANA ! and i say this in no uncertain manner ,, for i’m still able to hold a gun ,, read a map ,, and go without food for a few days ,,…….

[Reply to this]
Joe Coxall
on August 21st, 2008 6:24 pm

Ok, so here we go again, let’s continue the debate. First of all, where did we get the idea that there is oil somewhere in the Essequibo that Venezuela wants to get it’s hands on? Why don’t we extend that same wishful unfounded argument and assume that the oil lies somewhere in the Demerara or Berbice region?

The last news I got is that miners local ,Venezuelan and Brazilian are all over the Essequibo prospecting for gold and diamonds. So where is the attempt to keep us in economic bondage?

Guyana cannot find oil in Guyana the same way that Venezuela did not find oil in Venezuela. Western oil companies found the oil and Chavez nationalised the companies. Right now he is in the process of nationalising three cement companies. Now these are two very important commodities that Guyana need.

An oil pipeline will change the geopolitical landscape in the region, the same way that an oil pipeline has suddenly increased the importance of some very small insignificant countries we never even heard about before :::Gerogia and Ossetia:::
Nobody gives a damn about these countries except that they are sitting smack in the middle of the pipeline bringing oil from Eastern Europe into the hands of Israel and the USA..

The USA is planning missile sites in Georgia, Ukraine and Poland, Russia has been invited to set up a missile site in Syria. We bystanders are now witnessing the beginning of the Oil Wars.

Russia may turnout to be our saviour afterall, Without them there is no other force that can prevent the USA and Israel from grabbing all the oil in Eastern Europe.

If that happens and with the US dollar still the worlds reserve currency, then we will remain in economic bondage, not by Venezuela but by those who have already enslaved us a long time ago.

Government politics on the world stage requires the best and brightest minds. It is more like a chess game where strategy can defeat might. We need to get into the mind and thinking of Chavez and try to accurately anticipate his purpose.

My guess is that a terminal in Suriname will allow Dutch oil companies shipping rights bypassing the American oil giants and also making oil more available to Brazilian and other regional countries via the Amazon River.

[Reply to this]
gap1
In reply to the above comment on August 22nd, 2008 10:35 am:
Joe: “First of all, where did we get the idea that there is oil somewhere in the Essequibo that Venezuela wants to get it’s hands on?”

How could we even begin to prove it when your Chavez is objecting to every potential investor who comes into Guyana with the intentions of finding oil? We believe that there is oil in Essequibo, and that is all you and your Chavez need to know.

All the reasons and all the argument you make for us doing business with Chavez are moot under the circumstances and will continue to find stiff opposition from the Guyanese people in and out of Guyana unless Chavez and his people drop their claim on Essequibo and give us a chance to develop our own true potential. Otherwise, you could better spend your time telling your dear Chavez to get our Essequibo off his confounded map! We don’t like it, and we don’t like him, to use an understatement, for obvious reasons, so enough already with these tedious tirades!

Who are you trying to convince, Guyanese? Save yourself the effort! We’re riled up enough with even the thought of our govt even thinking of doing business with this…this character, under the circumstances.

I hope Jagdeo and his PPP are reading this. The Guyanese nation voted the PPP into office to do anything but sell out our country to its worse enemy. Enough said!

[Reply to this]
Joe Coxall
In reply to the above comment on August 22nd, 2008 6:02 pm:
Gap1,
You little private eye pro, you have been hitting on me and running into hiding. Listen we are simply throwing around pros and cons, Make it a lively debate, do not get personally riled up.

Blog sites has become wildly popular on the internet because folks like you and me can now provide controversal comment and that is the only reason why people are attracted to bolg comments.

Remember, where all people think alike, no man thinks, so It is healthy to disagree, just do not raise your blood pressure in doing so. Now that is very unhealthy for you.

Peace my man.

Joe.
New Paradigm
on August 22nd, 2008 10:11 pm

I agree with Joe. Lets discuss. Po9litica is not just simple. Sometimes presidents have to be careful or they will bring unnecesdsary confrontation that would weaken them. chavez is facing alot already.

In any event Chavez does not need a road or a pipe line if he wants to invade Guyana.

On the other hand such infrastructure can assist greatly in the development of this country and the region.

We also have a border dispute with the Surinamese. What do we do.

[Reply to this]
gap1
on August 23rd, 2008 1:16 am

Joe,
I have been hitting at you and running into hiding???!!! Surely you fill yourself with your own self-importance!

I am a mommy and a sister and an aunt and a lover and a friend and I am a beach lover (for the second time I tell you I am woman and I could call you girlfriend in response to this but I will not–I will wait for evidence that Joe is a person, not just some disjointed spirit who does not recognise reality when it smacks him in the face) , and yes I do have my own business so I work doubly hard at what I do, and surprise–it is not blogging!

First of all, my dear Joe, it would take a “paradigm” shift to get me riled up about you, since on the scale of what is important to me or not, you are so completely off radar that I find your comment really “interesting”. I don’t know you and I have no wish to do so, nor your little “paradigm” shift here. As I so clearly stated, I get riled up about my govt doing business with Venezuela here, and if I have to be double-banked here then I don’t mind. I can have you both—for breakfast tomorrow. Nothing personal, never is.

And this time, I promise, I will return to the blog. That’s really not good news for you or your little paradigm shift here–nothing personal.

[Reply to this]
Mainlandweb.com
on August 24th, 2008 3:19 pm

Venezuela is in territorial issues with virtually all of its neighbors. Its Military Police has been constantly harassing the fishermen of Trinidad and Tobago in the Gulf of Paria. A lot of weapons and drugs are coming from Venezuela. Venezuela has always worked in alliance with Suriname to undermine Guyana’s development, and its ties with Suriname are stronger than it is with Guyana. There are several joint ventures between Venezuelan companies and those of Suriname, such as Vensur, their cement company.
The people of Venezuela and Brazil are very similar as compared to Guyanese. With the declining population of Guyana and Suriname, and the influx of immigrants from these larger and more populated states around us, it is just a matter of a few generations before we are outnumbered. Technology can put us at a great advantage against all these people around us, but the plan must be put in place now.
Red Lion

[Reply to this]
gap1
on August 24th, 2008 6:55 pm

Meanwhile, nothing is being done to arrest Guyana’s massive population decline, jobs, security, to make Guyana investor friendly with tax holidays and other incentives to attract investors.

Guyana does not need an oil pipeline or to find oil to strike it out as a very decent middle income country in a very short space of time, what Guyana needs is a sound, well funded developmental plan, what Guyana does not have, is that.

Simple, but would you believe, they don’t seem to have one!

Meanwhile the world passes us by while the govt may be throwing out Chavez’s name at us, to see if they can put some perfume on him.

Well the nation is not just saying no, notice, we are growling a resounding, no!

[Reply to this]