In a fiery address yesterday on the 2025 budget debate, Shadow Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amanza Walton-Desir lambasted the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) government for its handling of Guyana’s foreign policy, accusing it of failing to protect national interests amidst shifting global and regional dynamics.
Walton-Desir, speaking on the challenges facing the country, compared Guyana to a mariner navigating turbulent waters, caught between rising geopolitical currents. She highlighted the importance of foreign policy as the nation’s “rudder,” guiding the country’s direction in a world marked by shifting alliances and escalating risks, particularly the controversy with neighbouring Venezuela and the ongoing migrant crisis.
“The trade winds of our time are not just about economic opportunity—they are also a test of our sovereignty,” Walton-Desir said. “We stand at a crossroads where the stakes are high. The risks of exploitation, manipulation, and potential loss of control over our territory are imminent.”
Safeguard nation’s borders and protect Guyana’s sovereignty
One of her main critiques centered on the government’s approach to migration, particularly the influx of Venezuelan migrants. Walton-Desir argued that the current administration had failed to implement a coherent strategy to manage the situation, which she described as a direct threat to national security and social stability. “To date the government is unable to provide a realistic estimate of the number of Venezuelan migrants in the country,” and this she charged is because the government “simply [does] not know!!!”
She called for a mandatory migrant registration system to safeguard the nation’s borders and protect Guyana’s sovereignty. The parliamentarian stressed that migration should be managed in a way that prioritises national development, prevent threats to Guyana’s sovereignty, ensure compliance with international standards and human rights, while ensuring that migrants are not granted undue privileges, such as voting rights, that could destabilise the nation.
Turning to the issue of the Guyana-Venezuela border controversy, Walton-Desir sharply criticised the PPP/C government’s handling of the ongoing territorial conflict. She condemned Venezuela’s actions, including the completion of a bridge to Ankoko Island and plans to elect a governor for the Essequibo region, actions she deemed a dangerous escalation.
A call to action on Venezuela’s aggression
In response to Venezuela’s escalating aggression, Walton-Desir, shadow minister said Guyana cannot afford to sit back and lodge protests; there is need for decisive action. She also highlighted the failure of the PPP/C’s diplomatic efforts, specifically the Argyle Declaration, which she claimed had been a “colossal diplomatic failure.”
She reminded the House, it was the A Partnership for National Unity and Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC) David Granger/Moses Nagamootoo government that elevated the controversy to the International Court of Justice, with the concurrence of the United Nations.
The shadow minister also expressed concern about the silence of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) in response to Venezuela’s aggression. She called on the regional body to demonstrate stronger support for Guyana’s sovereignty, arguing that the Essequibo controversy was not just a Guyanese issue but one that affected the entire Caribbean.
On the broader topic of foreign diplomacy, Walton-Desir criticised the government for its lack of investment in a professional and competent diplomatic corps. She urged the government to focus on recruiting and training younger diplomats and to ensure that Guyana’s embassies were staffed with capable individuals who could effectively represent the nation’s interests on the world stage.
“I will speak and you will listen”
And when the Government parliamentarians sought to silence her…the shadow minister turned to that side of the House and addressed Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hugh Todd, making clear to him that: “You can’t outshot me; you can’t intimidate me, and I will speak and you will listen!”
In closing her presentation the parliamentarian warned that Guyana’s foreign policy failures has left the nation vulnerable to the “raging geopolitical winds,” and called on the government to prioritise national security and sovereignty in its diplomatic endeavours. Diplomacy is not about feel-good photo ops; it’s about safeguarding our future, she declared.
The opposition’s response to the 2025 budget presentation is expected to continue as the debate on Guyana’s foreign policy and national security unfolds.
