…says no effort should be spared in safeguarding country’s interest
By Svetlana Marshall
Guyana’s Parliamentary Sectoral Committee on Foreign Relations on Monday joined with the Government in condemning the move by Venezuela to claim exclusive sovereign rights in the waters and seabed adjacent to Guyana’s coast, west of the Essequibo River.
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hugh Todd, on Monday, had updated the Parliamentary Sectoral Committee on Foreign Relations on the recent developments concerning the Guyana- Venezuela Border Controversy during a meeting at the Public Buildings.
Shortly after exiting the high-level meeting at the Public Buildings in Georgetown, Chairman of the Parliamentary Sectoral Committee, Raphael Trotman said the delegation of high ranking parliamentary officials has taken note of the recent aggression being displayed by Venezuela in furtherance of its spurious claim to Guyana’s territory.
“The Committee…joins the Government of Guyana in condemning in the strongest possible terms, the implementation of any law by Venezuela with extra territorial application and which seeks to give jurisdiction to Venezuela over marine and submarine areas solely on the basis of unilateral action, in contravention of international law and without due regard for the rights of Guyana,” Trotman said in a statement.
He said the Committee supports the efforts of the Guyanese Government in taking all necessary actions to safeguard the country’s national interest. Guyana, he reminded, stands united and resolute in the protection of its sovereignty and territorial integrity.
In a separate statement, the Foreign Affairs Minister said the Parliamentary Sectoral Committee demonstrated unanimity in the strong condemnation of the implementation of any law by Venezuela with extraterritorial application in contravention of international law and the rights of Guyana. Like Trotman, Minister Todd said it was unanimously agreed that there must be continued vigilance in safeguarding the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Guyana.
The meeting was also attended by Prime Minister, Brigadier (ret’d) Mark Phillips MP and Gail Teixeira MP., Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance and A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change Members of Parliament, Tabitha J. Sarabo-Halley and Amanza Walton-Desir.
Ahead of the Parliamentary Sectoral Committee meeting, the Foreign Affairs Minister on Monday met with Moses Chavez, Chargé d’ Affaires, Embassy of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela to register Guyana’s strong objection to Venezuela’s attempts to assume jurisdiction over Guyana’s marine and submarine areas.
Minister Todd told Chavez that Venezuela’s actions are unilateral and without regard for international law and the rights of Guyana.
On Saturday, Guyana’s President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Irfaan Ali rejected the decree issued by Venezuela, and in doing so, reminded the Spanish speaking country that the issue regarding the 1899 Arbitral Award is currently before the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
The 1899 Arbitral Award legally established the location of the land boundary between then British Guiana and Venezuela, and the ICJ on December 18, 2020, ruled that it has jurisdiction to determine the validity of the award. President Ali said Guyana is confident that the Court will resolve the issue in its favour.
