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President Irfaan Ali left Guyana Monday afternoon for Dubai, United Arab Emirates, where he will be leading a delegation at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Conference of Parties (COP) 28.
Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo and a number of other Government officials are scheduled to join him on the trip.
The Conference begins on Thursday, November 30, 2023, with several meetings. Ali is expected to return on Saturday, December 2nd, the day before Venezuelans go to the polls to vote in a referendum claiming Essequibo as their territory.
At the Conference Guyana is expected to push climate financing, forest incentives and its model Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS), said the government in a statement released last evening.
Guyana will also co-chair the group of forested countries in the Commonwealth in providing guidance on the environment.
Guyanese are questioning the president’s judgement leaving the country at a time of heightened tension when: 1) the referendum is pending and 2) International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruling on the Provisional Order relating to Venezuelan referendum while the border controversy matter is before the court. This case was filed by Guyana on October 30. The ICJ will deliver its judgment on Friday, December 1.
A retired senior diplomat, speaking off the record, told Village Voice News (VVN) it would have been better for the president to have forego the trip. According to the former career diplomat, issues such as the border controversy are not initiated by the President.
“Such issues are dealt with by the diplomats who will engage each other and promote their country’s interest or goals. After this work is done, then meetings will be set with the President and peers, based on assurance of the country’s support.”
At this time of unease in society, the people needed the presence of their leaders on the ground, the diplomat’s friend pointed out.
A high-ranking military officer told this publication Guyanese need confidence-building at this time, “and it is most unfortunate both the President and Vice President have jetted out to a conference that one of them, preferable the Vice President, could have attended.”
The officer feels the government’s action could send the wrong signal to the Guyanese people, creating further speculation of the People’s Progressive Party sincerity about the protection and defence of Guyana’s territorial integrity.
“President Ali is Commander in Chief of the Armed Force. He should have stayed to provide the troops assurance. While we hope for the best after December 3, there is no certainty Venezuela will tone down it aggression.”
He reminds that Jagdeo’s statement about giving Venezuela “a channel to the sea” still reverberate and people remain disturbed about it.
Man in the street told VVN they are concerned about their safety and whether the military and government can protect them.
This publication was reliably informed the Government chartered a plane from Guyana to Panama, and from there will board the United Arab Emirates Airline to Dubai.
