The PNCR is preening over its decision to approach Suriname’s then opposition, the National Democratic Party (NDP), over that country’s expulsion of the CGX rig in 2000 from a drill site Paramaribo claimed was in its territorial waters.
The Mega-Combination alliance formed around the Desi Bouterse-led NDP is now the new government in the Dutch-speaking country.
In a press release issued at its news briefing on Friday the PNCR stated that at the height of the tension, a PNCR delegation had travelled to Suriname to hold discussions with the NDP which had shared the Guyana government’s position of joint development of the area until arbitration of the matter was completed.
“That visit led to a written and signed understanding which was made available to the then minister of foreign affairs immediately on the return to Guyana of that delegation. Despite being fully aware of the nature and accomplishments of that visit, the PPP, for narrow political objectives, sought to misrepresent that visit and publicly criticize the PNCR,” it stated.
According to the party, it refused to respond to the criticisms at the time “in the interest of national security” while adding that “the PPP may now recognise the wisdom of the PNCR’s initiative.”
Adding to the party’s statement afterwards, PNCR leader Robert Corbin said that the Guyana government could not have interfaced with the opposition NDP at the time and that was why his party had chosen to do so to shore up support for Guyana’s position.
According to Corbin, the ensuing criticism was the administration’s way of going after
“cheap political mileage.” He added that they decided not to respond in order to safeguard the opposition NDP since addressing the issue then could have made it uncomfortable for them in Suriname.
“I hope that the PPP will learn from the experience not to make political mileage on national issues, particularly one that involves national security because I thought what they wanted was genuine national solidarity in this country among all political parties on matters of national security,” Corbin added.
Meanwhile, Corbin said the party has no reservations or fear of later embarrassment in congratulating Bouterse since he was democratically elected and his ascension to the presidency represented the will of his people.
Bouterse was the leader of a military dictatorship in the former Dutch colony during the 1980s and is also standing trial for the December Murders of 1982 in which several of his political opponents were assassinated. Additionally, he was convicted in absentia in the Netherlands for drug smuggling and that country has said he is only welcome there to serve his sentence.
Corbin said the PNCR respected any nation’s right to “self determination” and could not interfere in the internal affairs of Suriname.
“If the people of Suriname for whatever reason they have, have expressed confidence in Desi Bouterse to be their president who is Guyana and other countries to tell the people of Suriname to put somebody else? You cannot argue it was a rigged election, you cannot argue he was unpopular …”
According to Corbin, it would be hypocritical for Guyanese officials to shun the Surinamese leader.
“This government and the PNC government dealt with Mr Desi Bouterse as president of Suriname in the past while all those charges were pending over his head so it would be rather naïve or hypocritical for anyone in this country, particularly at the level of the major parties to be schizophrenic in their behaviour,” Corbin declared.
The party revealed that it had dispatched a congratulatory message to Bouterse and his National Democratic Party (NDP) on their success at the recently concluded elections. According to the party statement issued on Friday, Corbin in the message “expressed the hope that the friendly relations between Suriname and Guyana, developed over the years, would continue and grow even stronger.”
