Last Monday, the government and opposition of Guyana passed an historic motion, in the National Assembly that, in form and substance, demonstrated this nation’s non- negotiable stance on the territorial right and sovereignty of its western border in accordance with the 1899 arbitral award, and the Geneva Agreement of 1966.
In that very motion, the people of Guyana strongly repudiated the bullish and intimidatory attempt (not the first time) by Venezuela- the enemy without our gated- to lay claim to about 70% of Guyana’s territory – Essequibo, and correctly dismissed as invalid, a proposed referendum, by the government of Venezuela, fixed for early December 2023, to encourage Venezuelans to vote for something that does not belong to them in the first place. It is a device deliberately used to stroke tensions and fears in the region.
I suspect that wars and conflicts in the Middle East, in eastern Europe, and elsewhere, the reconfiguring of the global geopolitical map, internal political dynamics in Venezuela, and massive oil finds in Guyana have all conspired to encourage the President of that country to make a move on a claim that has no validity, in history or in international law. However, having regards to those and other circumstances we, in Guyana, continue to have great faith in the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
We have always stood on the right side of history, and international law. Knowing this, we cannot and must not flinch from our believe that all of Guyana, and all of its resources- altitude, latitude, and beneath the surface of our 83000 Sq miles- belong to every Guyanese. This knowledge has placed upon us, every one of us, the sacred duty to protect this motherland not only for ourselves but also our children, their children, and generations of Guyanese.
It is for those reasons, I must recall, a few of the strategies used by our founder leader, the late Executive President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, Linden Forbes Sampson Burnham, who sought to instill in citizens a sense of patriotism, community and belonging beginning in our schools and institutions of learning. His conceptualisation of and commitment to self -reliance, through the Feed, Clothe and House the Nation Program (FCH).
The Guyana National Service, the People’s Militia, and other allied training programs sustained a necessary awareness about the importance of nation- building and faithful commitment to the protection and development of our country. It is not necessary for me to mention his strictness for discipline and excellence at the Foreign Service Ministry. And his enviable ability to build alliances with partners in the international community.
An important aspect of his leadership was his belief that the nation should be kept informed about the border controversy. He did that. It has to be admitted that in the face of external and internal threats by certain forces that, Burnham had a very credible and practical vision for the sustainable development of our country.
Sadly, in today’s Guyana, the spirit of patriotism and the soul of nationalism are causalities to the dollar. This materialistic vision of prosperity propagated by this regime to the detriment of everything else- the enemy within our gates- must be dismantled if we are to survived as a nation. We are yet to see any strategy or even a simple basic practical program, by this government, that is aimed at nation- building or instilling patriotism, in our young people or citizens, in general.
Something as basic as a national public relations campaign to keep the nation informed about the controversy has not yet been put in place by the government despite the fact it was agreed upon by the government and opposition. Is it because they are not interested in such a campaign or the importance of this approach has not dawn upon them? Either way, it is a testimony to the poor attitude of this government to suggestions and recommendations of plans, strategies and campaigns aimed at building and advancing the interests of our nation.
Getting more wealth is a thinking and an attitude, which are demonstrated in the actions and lifestyle of our leaders and politicians. No doubt this attitude is influencing the way our young people see service to community and country. and the wider population of our beloved country. Money matters but when this thought is taken beyond its logical conclusion everything else- family, community and country- becomes unimportant.
Long live Guyana
