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The Alliance For Change (AFC) reiterates its unwavering support for the unified national approach being taken by Government and Opposition political parties with regards to our border controversy with Venezuela.
Supports national approach border controversy
The party, in a statement, says it supports all efforts and the process embarked upon by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) including the submissions and events regarding the inflammatory contents in a referendum Venezuela intends to hold on December 3, 2023.
Noting the party’s continual concern regarding the Government’s handling of the illegal influx of Venezuelans into Guyana’s territory, which poses a severe existential threat to all Guyana, the party also points to confirmed reports of increased undocumented migration into the country.
“Confirmed reports highlight a recent unexplained and definite increase in Venezuelans arriving undocumented in boats, jumping out of buses after being taken into police custody while at the same time an aggressive international campaign is in motion.”
The Venezuelan Vice President’s very vocal pronouncements have informed us of their deliberate strategy to annex Guyana’s Essequibo region. But according to the party, “no mincing of their words there and to all this, our governments’ response has been nothing less than lukewarm.”
The AFC advises in the party’s recent outreaches Guyanese continue to be very concerned what is likely to occur post December 3, and is alarmed at the total lack of engagement by the PPP government on the ground especially in the Essequibo region.
“This lack of engagement, the absence of information, a plan or approach, unanswered urgent critical questions posed by the AFC, other political parties, the media, concerned NGO groups and individuals are now a slap in the face of all Guyanese.”
PPP’s tactic to rig electoral system to stay in power
Touching on the illegal influx of Venezuelans the party is of the view the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) has ulterior motives. According to the party, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo and the PPP have systematically allowed Venezuelans into Guyana without the requisite stringent registration processes and monitoring to pad an already corrupt voters list.
“Vice President Jagdeo’s recent pronouncement that eligible Venezuelan migrants must be allowed to vote in elections has added fuel to the fire. Well, this PPP plan to stay in power appears to have backfired and now our territorial sovereignty is at risk!”
It must be noted again, the party points out, that the PPP’s approach to Venezuelan migrants is vastly different to the treatment meted out to our Haitians brothers and sisters who based on membership are granted free movement within CARICOM, but who were forcibly removed, detained for days and cannot enter Guyana without a visa. “This duplicitous policy has still not been explained.”
Given this worrying situation the AFC once again recommends the following:
“That since Venezuela has clearly ‘upped the ante’ no Venezuelan migrants be allowed to enter Guyana at any official ports of entry or at porous border crossings.
“That like the Haitians any other Venezuelan entering Guyana must be granted a visa to enter prior.
“That the new ID card programme which will seek to register everyone in Guyana must be immediately halted given the lack of electoral integrity in our systems in Guyana and until this crisis is over. There continue to exist too many loopholes in the system.
“That the Opposition must be invited to send a representative on the committee the President referred to and to participate on all national committees and agencies dealing with the border controversy as we continue to promote unity of this issue.”
