I am conscious of how much the Guyanese people are counting on us as their elected representatives to protect them and this beloved land from invaders. In this season of Venezuelan aggression, it is the duty of all our political leaders to speak with one accord, to reassure all Guyanese- irrespective of race or political association- that they are valued, and it is our honour and privilege to protect, serve and further the real interest of all.
We are living in very serious and opportune times. How we navigate both realities would assert the Guyanese aspiration of “One People One Nation One Destiny” or falling to the wayside, the consequence of self-serving leadership. In other words, would history record us in this moment of time swimming together or separately, uncaring whether we sink each other, because we have not yet learned to appreciate that our lives and destiny are intertwined? While the naysayers may say otherwise, I paraphrase the sage advice of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., that we must learn to live together as brothers and sisters, or we will together perish as fools.
The Referendum on 3rd December 2023, is the latest unilateral act in a long history of Venezuela’s violation and disregard of Treaties. Let us remember, that Venezuela has repeatedly breached the Geneva Agreement and rebuffed efforts by Guyana to engage in bilateral talks with Guyana. In these circumstances, Guyana cannot engage in further bilateral and similar talks, Guyana should, must and shall remain committed to the jurisdiction of the International Court of Justice for the resolution of the controversy.
The people of Guyana deserve no less.
We restate the Treaty of Washington, and the 1899 Arbitral Award is the “full, perfect and final settlement” of the controversy surrounding Essequibo. We are here, more than a century after the 1899 Arbitral Award, facing a threat of no lesser magnitude, and we cannot pretend this issue is not a clear and present danger to every citizen of this beloved land, home and abroad.
The sun of Guyana sets in the Essequibo. There must be no further and prolonged attempts by Venezuela to fabricate and eclipse of the sun of Guyana.
That country’s increasing aggression is not only misplaced but devoid of legitimacy. Even as we acknowledge these we cannot ignore, in a world where might could supersede right, small nations such as ours must navigate these murky waters, sensibly.
Guyanese recall the presence of Premier Forbes Burnham during the 9th– 10th December 1965, at a high-level meeting with Venezuelan Foreign Minister and the British Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, addressing the 7th November 1965 Communiqué signed by representatives of Venezuela and Britain, along with a representative from British Guiana to:
“Find satisfactory solutions for a practical settlement of the controversy which has arisen as a result of the Venezuelan contention that the 1899 Award is null and void.”
On the eve of independence, the Forbes Burnham Government pursued a path to resolution through the Geneva Agreement, which the Desmond Hoyte Government continued, and on expiration in 1990 pursued the Good Officer process which lasted until 2017. In 2018, the David Granger/Moses Nagamootoo Government approached the International Court of Justice (ICJ), committed to the principle of peaceful resolution.
This serves to remind all, in particular young Guyanese who may be unaware, or were led to believe differently, that any government the People’s National Congress (PNC) has been part of, has consistently navigated this situation with due diligence and sense. In or out of government, the PNC remains committed to protecting and defending Guyana’s sovereignty, through peaceful and judicious means- legal and diplomatic.
Mr. Dave Martins captured in song, who we are as people.
“We are a peaceful people
Struggle as we struggle
And we don’t look for trouble
Just ask around
But when outside faces
From foreign places
Talk about taking over
We ain’t backing down”
Again today, we fire this verbal warning shot to Venezuela.
As a Guyanese citizen, parliamentarian, and proud member of the PNC, I join with my colleagues in the A Partnership of National Unity and Alliance for Change, (APNU+AFC) and every Guyanese to reaffirm the position taken by the PNC, historically and in these times: -All Guyana, in its present configuration belongs to all of us. Every single square inch and we are not giving up what belongs to us! We accept the 1899 Arbitral Award as the FINAL settlement of the dispute between Great Britain and the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela on the matter of the border.
Excerpt from A Partnership Of National Unity (APNU) Member of Parliament, Senior Counsel Roysdale Forde’s contribution to the Extraordinary Sitting of the National Assembly. Nov. 6, 2023
