Dear Editor,
As our country celebrates its 59th Independence Anniversary on May 26, 2025, we must reflect on whether our founding leaders, Linden Forbes Sampson Burnham and Dr. Cheddi B. Jagan, would be pleased with the current state of disunity and discord in our society. The People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) continues to proclaim unity, but it is essential for them to act on that commitment rather than merely verbalising it.
The APNU+AFC Parliamentary Opposition has repeatedly called for inclusivity within the National Assembly, advocating for consultation on legislation and motions. In light of the unresolved territorial dispute between Guyana and Venezuela, the opposition is demanding more frequent meetings of the Parliamentary Sectoral Committee on Foreign Relations.
Shadow Foreign Minister Amanza Walton-Desir has emphasised the need for the government to convene these meetings. However, according to the Member of Parliament, they are only held when tensions flare between the two South American nations.
If we are honest with ourselves, we must recognise that the government has not been proactive in developing solutions to protect us from Venezuela, which continues to violate international laws and peace treaties, such as the 1966 Geneva Agreement and the 2023 Argyle Declaration.
On Friday, May 23, 2025, the National Assembly took a different turn when Opposition Leader Aubrey Norton led his coalition members in a walkout. They denounced the government’s handling of the ongoing border dispute with Venezuela as discriminatory and a violation of democratic norms.
The walkout occurred after Norton criticised a government motion seeking parliamentary support to oppose Venezuela’s referendum, which controversially proposes to annex the Essequibo region of Guyana.
The mover of the motion, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Hugh Todd, clarified that this motion is designed to “unequivocally reaffirm the sovereignty, territorial integrity, independence, and indissolubility of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana.” It builds on a previous motion passed in Parliament on November 6, 2023, which received unanimous support from the Opposition.
The current motion’s resolve clause emphatically reiterates Guyana’s recognition of the 1899 Arbitral Award and the 1966 Geneva Agreement. Furthermore, it condemns Venezuela’s actions that blatantly defy the May 1, 2025 order of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), labeling them as serious violations of international law and intentional threats to regional peace and stability.
However, Mr. Norton is right to emphasise that the government strayed from the path of bipartisan cooperation by drafting the motion without engaging the Opposition, despite their steadfast support for Guyana’s sovereignty and the ongoing proceedings at the International Court of Justice.
The Opposition Leader and his APNU+AFC colleagues firmly support the government’s position in denouncing Venezuela’s continued illegal actions aimed at destabilising Guyana and its relentless attempts to annex Essequibo. Nonetheless, they unequivocally reject the government’s exclusionary tactics.
Norton pointedly noted that the motion fails to specify the counteractions the government will take in response to any Venezuelan actions that threaten to instill fear and destabilize the Essequibo region. This oversight must be addressed to ensure that Guyana’s interests are adequately protected.
It appears the government cannot admit when it is wrong and instead accuses the opposition of being divisive and polarising the Guyanese people. The most pressing question is whether the government included the opposition during the formulation of this motion.
We know that the Opposition has its idiosyncrasies and has been criticized for internal infighting. However, the fact that they have indicated a willingness to provide recommendations on the motion must be recognized. As a media operative who covered 104 sittings of the National Assembly, I noted the concern expressed by the Opposition Leader regarding Venezuela hosting a referendum on May 25, just one day before Guyana’s Independence.
Before proponents of the incumbent regime criticise the opposition for walking out and not supporting the motion, they must first reexamine the motion and consider why it was initially unsupported.
Upon receiving the motion, I must say that I did not effectively highlight what meaningful actions the Government of Guyana will take to counter any actions executed by the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.
We cannot be in a state of denial. Recently, at the National Toshaos Council Conference (NTCC), His Excellency Irfaan Ali announced the provision of approximately 250 firearms for security and protective purposes to Indigenous leaders, given Venezuela’s recent attacks on Guyana Defence Force ranks.
What other security measures will be taken?
Venezuela is no joke and the government must be more proactive and not passive.
Last minute preparations will not lead to excellent results.
My statements are not premised on any political allegiance but are emanating from a mindset of the love for country and the penchant for servitude and nationhood.
For the words of W.R. A Pilgrim must resonate with us “Let’s cooperate for Guyana let us cooperate for us land let us ,see we do it right together Can we do it? Yes we can.
Yours truly,
Antonio Dey
