Dear Editor,
In yesterday’s Oil and Gas column I made a reference to former Ambassador Cedric Joseph and his book “Anglo-American Diplomacy and the Reopening of the Guyana -Venezuela Boundary Controversy 1961-1966”. Soon thereafter, I received the following message from a former colleague of Mr. Joseph which I have permission to share with your viewers. I do so because in my view Joseph’s contribution is one of the most significant pieces of research touching on our country’s very existence and sovereignty.
“Dear ChrisI was really interested in what you had to say about Cedric Joseph and his book on the Border Controversy in your article for today’s Stabroek News.I have said on several occasions that had Joseph belonged to a different kind of society he would have been honoured for completing a work on (an) Issue of critical importance to his country; one indeed which must be the best of its kind in the English Language. And what makes this accomplishment all the more remarkable is that Joseph did the research for his book mostly after he had retired and at his own expense. This undertaking was largely done in the UK.The background to the making the making of book “Anglo-American Diplomacy and the Reopening of the Guyana -Venezuela Boundary Controversy 1961-1966” is also very interesting. Cedric Joseph wrote an article on this subject when he was a young Professor at the University of the West Indies which is generally regarded as the best introduction to the Border Controversy. This article was published by the University of Puerto Rico and by the Foreign Service Institute of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs under the title “The Search for Justice.” After the publication of the article in question, Joseph wrote a booklet which carried the same title as his book, and which was an expanded precursor to the larger publication. I am telling you he dedicated his professional life to this issue.I tried to get Cedric Joseph recognized for his remarkable achievement during the tenure of the last administration, but my recommendation fell on deaf ears. Among other things, myself and others proposed that there should be a Prize in Joseph’s name for the best thesis on (the) Border Controversy which could have been placed under the aegis of the History Department of the University of Guyana. But you know our society destroys outstanding intellects. It does not encourage or succor talent and outstanding gifts. Yet we are surprised that we fail, as a nation, at so many important things.YoursRonald Austin
The University of Guyana will soon be conferring honorary Doctor of Philosophy on outstanding Guyanese for their contribution. While everyone of them is completely worthy of such an accolade, at this time when the very integrity and sovereignty of our country is at stake, none can be more deserving than Mr. Cedric Joseph. He is an academic and an incomparable authority on the Guyana-Venezuela controversy, even as he is excluded from any role in Guyana’s case against Venezuela at the ICJ. We just should not let him be another case of a prophet without honour in his own country.
Yours faithfully,
Christopher Ram
