By Roysdale Forde S.C, M.P- As we approach mid-2025, this global village in which we live finds itself mired in a multitude of ongoing military conflicts, each with its own various layers of complexities and humanitarian crises. From the escalating tensions in Kashmir to the volatile situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the international community faces a myriad of challenges.
At home, the longstanding territorial dispute between Guyana and Venezuela has flared up once again. In March 2025, Venezuelan military vessels entered Guyanese waters. This prompted a swift condemnation from the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). The incident presents the extreme fragility of regional peace and the ever-present potential for conflict over resources and territorial claims.
Sadly, whilst Venezuela plots to trample international law and snatch sovereign Guyanese territory, the PPP/C government is throwing a concert in Essequibo. Yes, a concert—in the face of one of the most serious geopolitical provocations in recent history. This move, tone-deaf at best and recklessly irresponsible at worst, encapsulates the PPP/C’s broader failure to lead in a moment of national crisis.
The facts are clear: Venezuela is moving full throttle with its unconstitutional and internationally rejected plan to hold an election for a so-called “governor” of the Essequibo region—a territory that has been part of our Guyana since the arbitral award of 1899, and which remains under our sovereign control. The International Court of Justice (ICJ) has issued a binding ruling, explicitly prohibiting such moves by Caracas. Yet, Nicolás Maduro’s regime has responded with defiance, posturing, and outright disregard and contempt for international order.
And what is the PPP/C’s response to this blatant aggression? A party. A distraction. A grotesque display of national insecurity disguised as cultural pride.
Let’s be clear: national morale is important. But concerts are not strategy. Steelpan is not diplomacy. Chutney is not deterrence. Guyana needs a coherent, assertive, and unifying national response to a looming crisis. Instead, we get DJs and dancers while Maduro sharpens his knife.
But wait a minute, where is the national communication plan to galvanise public unity? Where is the educational campaign to inform citizens—especially our young people—about the significance of this territorial threat? Where is the international media offensive to counter Venezuela’s propaganda? Where is the coordinated diplomatic pressure on Caracas through regional blocs like CARICOM and the OAS?
While the territorial integrity of Guyana is legally backed by the 1899 Arbitral Award and the ongoing proceedings at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the PPP/C government’s response—particularly in the realm of public relations—has been inadequate, insufficient, uncoordinated, and reactive rather than proactive. This failure has left Guyana vulnerable on the global stage, especially in the sphere of public opinion.
Despite the geopolitical importance of the issue, the PPP/C government has not established a sustained, professional PR campaign that effectively communicates Guyana’s legal and historical position to a global audience. Venezuela, in contrast, has leveraged state-controlled media, diplomatic lobbying, and propaganda-style messaging to sow confusion about the legitimacy of the 1899 award. It is my view that, the PPP/C government has relied too heavily on formal diplomatic channels and occasional press releases, rather than investing in a multi-platform media strategy that could counteract misinformation in real-time.
As well, Guyana has significant diaspora populations in North America, Europe, and the Caribbean—many of whom are influential and media-savvy. Still, the PPP/C government has failed to mobilise this potential base of support or use it as a conduit for spreading accurate information about the Essequibo dispute.
Venezuelan misinformation has found more fertile ground in regional forums like CELAC and ALBA, while Guyana’s narrative often lacks visibility outside of official government statements. This is partly due to the government’s failure to cultivate relationships with international journalists and media outlets that shape public opinion in the Global North and Latin America.
I would argue that, one of the PPP/C government’s biggest PR failures is the lack of emotional or cultural resonance in its messaging. While Venezuela wraps its claims in patriotic rhetoric and nationalistic fervour, appealing to its population’s historical grievances and identity, Guyana’s communication remains overly legalistic and bureaucratic. It is no secret that, effective public diplomacy requires storytelling, symbolism, and an understanding of psychological framing—all areas where the government has massively underperformed.
Also, domestically, the Guyanese population must be kept informed and united. However, the PPP/C administration’s engagement has been sporadic, with limited use of public education campaigns or school curricula to build a long-term national understanding of the Essequibo issue. This allows misinformation—both foreign and domestic—to take root. Furthermore, the lack of regular updates and transparency fosters confusion and breeds skepticism, even among citizens who support Guyana’s claim.
In today’s information warfare environment, social media and digital platforms are powerful tools for countering propaganda. Yet the government’s presence on platforms like X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, and YouTube is minimal and lacks coordination. There is no consistent digital strategy to engage international youth, global NGOs, or academic communities who could be powerful allies in amplifying Guyana’s stance.
Instead, the PPP/C is stuck in a propaganda loop of its own making, focused more on optics than outcomes. It has failed to present a serious foreign policy doctrine. It has failed to engage the Guyanese diaspora effectively. And it has failed to project to the world that we are a sovereign nation prepared to defend every inch of our territory—not with fireworks and festival lights, but with law, diplomacy, and, if necessary, resolve.
Lest we forget, Essequibo is 61,600 square miles of resource-rich land, the core of our national identity, and the frontline in a 21st-century territorial dispute that could determine Guyana’s future.
It is time for the PPP/C to stop playing to the gallery and start governing like a party that understands the gravity of the moment. Guyana is watching. The region is watching. The world is watching. And Venezuela, emboldened by our silence, is moving forward to claim what never belonged to them.
I believe that history will not be kind to leaders who chose celebration over confrontation when our sovereignty was on the line.
Worse still, is the slow pace of sustainable development taking place in that region. This area has been palpably neglected. Yet, it is rich in resources, people and potential. Frankly, with billions pouring into the public purse from offshore oil production, the government has no excuse for failing to transform Essequibo into a bastion of economic strength, infrastructural sophistication, and national security.
Instead, we see piecemeal projects, half- hearted pronouncements, and the same recycled promises that have defined governance in this region for decades. While approaches to the international courts, and diplomatic statements are absolutely important, I believe that these should be complemented with the construction of highways, and incentivising settlement and enterprise in the interior. There should be much more government investment in education, health, technologies, and security across Essequibo to make it a living, thriving testament to national pride and sovereignty.
I am aware that, the government’s defenders will, no doubt, tout isolated projects and token gestures as evidence of commitment. But the truth is undeniable: there is no publicly known cohesive, long-term development plan for Essequibo. Where is the five-year strategic blueprint for regional transformation? Where is the targeted investment in infrastructure that links Essequibo to the coast and beyond? Where is the public-private partnership drive to unlock agriculture, mining, tourism, and logistics potential?
Again, local communities in Essequibo continue to suffer from basic service deficits — poor roads, inconsistent electricity, limited internet, and inadequate healthcare. In 2025, with oil ships pumping millions of barrels offshore and foreign companies lining up for a piece of the pie, this is not just mismanagement. It is moral failure, on the part of the government. It is a painful, sorry story no one wants to tell, yet, it must be told.
In the 60s and 70s the PNC, implemented a solid, strategic development plan for the hinterlands and far- flung regions of this country. The idea was to allow our young people identify, claim, protect and preserve all of Guyana, including Essequibo. Our young people were involved in pioneering projects in agriculture, construction, infrastructure and military training in order to protect our national frontiers.
Our leaders understood since that time that our borders were/are porous and vast amounts of natural and national resources and assets were idled. They took appropriate actions. While they had strong alliances with members of the international community they did not sit and hoped that those friends would come to their aid, in the event of a conflict with that bully. They were strategic in thought and action. And no, it is not a matter of casting blame; it is about referencing good governance by a former government, the PNC.
In the face of this crisis, President Irfaan Ali and Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo must answer to the people of Guyana. Not with soundbites and ceremonial visits, but with action, infrastructure, and irreversible transformation. The time for symbolic politics has passed. Essequibo does not need more flags; it needs farms, factories, fiber-optics, and future-proof planning. Essequibo belongs to Guyana!
