Every political science student must have heard the statement that big powers do not have friends, only interests. In this context one cannot underestimate the power of the late Forbes Burnham. One cannot even underestimate his role in protecting Guyana on the diplomatic stage. He positioned Guyana among the so called Third World countries. His appointees walked the corridors of the United Nations. His emissaries met and signed agreements with their counterparts in the various countries. He then met and wooed the world leaders.
His actions prevented any bellicose action from Venezuela for some five decades. His alliances saw the various leaders coming to Guyana’s defence on the diplomatic stage at every turn. Such was Burnham’s recognition of allies that even when it came to this little corner of the world he initiated the establishment of the Caribbean Community. Of course the regional body was not CARICOM but Carifta. CARICOM was to grow from the initial regional grouping.
Guyana’s place on the international stage was highlighted in the Non Aligned Movement. Burnham had repeatedly said that Guyana will be a pawn to neither East nor West. Those heady days are over. That became clear during the recent vote at the International Court of Justice. Venezuela has announced that it proposes to hold elections for the control of Essequibo.
Guyana approached the International Court of Justice for a ruling to halt any expansionist move on the part of Venezuela. It did secure a favourable ruling but it exposed Guyana’s claim to friendship with major countries.
Judges from three countries, two of whom have been valued by Guyana as close friends, voted to support Venezuela. India and China were joined by Germany to vote against Guyana.
President Irfaan Ali, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo and some other government leaders have sung the praises of India and China to high heavens. They have described India as kith and kin. They went to great lengths to ensure that India became a major buyer of Guyana oil. There have been agreements. India has granted numerous scholarships to Guyana. Prime Minister Narendra Modi even visited Guyana. Guyana could not have sung his praises any louder.
China has been a major financier of Guyana. It provided the loans for nearly all the major projects beginning with the new Skeldon Sugar factory. It secured contracts for some major road contracts, not least among them the East Coast Demerara roadway. It secured the contract to build the Marriott—refusing to employ any Guyanese with the support of the government. China is also constructing the new Demerara Harbour Bridge. Guyana still remembers the comment that a Chinese Minister was passing through the region holding out money. It so loved Guyana that it released money for the construction of the new Cheddi Jagan International Airport.
Both India and China voted to support Venezuela in its expansionist move against Guyana. Guyana’s friends most certainly did not behave like friends. That is not the only slap Guyana has received from a friend. Still fresh in the memory are the comments by United States Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, about Guyana’s concussion roads built by the PPP government, and the International Drug Control Strategy Report by the United States State Department. One should not expect friends to hide one’s faults but friends should not be aggressive when highlighting these faults. Guyana is a sucker for friends.
Meanwhile the police are stumbling from one faux pas to another. Last week it issued a wanted bulletin for two men who reportedly carried out an acid attack on a teacher and two young children. It turned out that these two men are in prison. The question is how did the police identify these two men. One must now wonder how many men have been wrongly identified and probably convicted. And there is the haste to publish the photographs of people suspected of committing a crime.
There was the man who was identified as driving off with 11-year-old Adriana Young, right down to the colour and make of his vehicle. Two policemen were reportedly sacked as a result of the handling of the girl’s matter. No one knows what these policemen look like. The nation does not even know their names. No photographs have been published. The bias does not end there.
Similar allegations have been levelled against a magistrate. Magistrate Ravindra Mohabir has been accused of political bias and for reportedly being under the direct control of a PPP minister. The People’s National Congress reform reported that on Friday, 2nd May, 2025, the magistrate at the Weldaad Magistrates Court remanded two persons to prison for one month over charges of inciting violence and terrorism. He refused them bail.
But according to the PNCR, the magistrate secretly released Mr. Glenroy Fraser, a known PPP activist, on bail, after initially remanding him to prison for abuse and disrupting the peace. According to reports, in the courtroom, Mr. Fraser verbally attacked the magistrate, the virtual complainant, and the prosecutors by hurling expletives at them. People expressed shock to see Mr. Fraser a few hours later walking into his yard in the El Dorado community as they expected him to be in prison.
The PNCR stated that there are reports that Mr. Fraser recounted in full public view and hearing that his political friend, Minister of Local Government Sonia Parag, called Magistrate Mohabir and ordered his release.
I wish there is another explanation.
