Opposition Member of Parliament (MP) K. Sharma Solomon has questioned President Irfaan Ali’s approach to national security, criticising what he describes as a “unilateral” strategy that excludes Parliament and the Opposition.
The comments follow President Ali’s remarks on January 1, when he told reporters, “We’ve been working on a comprehensive defence plan and strategy for our country,” in reference to potential tensions between Washington, D.C., and Caracas, Venezuela.
In a social media statement, Solomon, a parliamentarian representing the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), challenged President Ali’s use of “we” and expressed concern over the lack of consultation. “National security is not a private briefing or a ‘sideline gaffing session,’” he said. “By excluding Parliament and the Opposition, you are weakening our national posture.”
Many observers have questioned the governing People’s Progressive Party (PPP) approach to handling the USA/Venezuela conflict noting that it could have implications not only because of Guyana’s proximity to Venezuela but also given the ongoing border controversy before the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
Solomon urged President Ali to begin a broader engagement process, including Parliament and the Leader of the Opposition, similar to the approach taken during the Forbes Burnham and Desmond Hoyte People’s National Congress (PNC) administrations, when national security matters were treated as a collective responsibility.
Stakeholders have repeatedly called for the President to engage more broadly—not only with parliament but also with civil society—similar to how national security matters were handled during the Forbes Burnham and Desmond Hoyte administrations, when decisions were treated as a collective national responsibility.
Solomon emphasised that unity is critical for national safety, warning that sidelining Parliament and civil society risks weakening Guyana’s position. “History shows that Guyana is safest when we, the people, stand together,” he said.
See statement below:
Guyana’s Future Is Not a One Man Show.
Speaking with reporters on the sideline of an event, on the 1st of January at your office, you were asked about plans in place to protect Guyana and its people should the country be caught in the crossfire between Washington DC and Caracas.
“We’ve been working on a comprehensive defence plan and strategy for our country” you responded.
Who is this “We” that you speak about?
Your unilateral action on this most clear and present danger of our national security is not strength. It is seen as a personal “gaffing session” dressed up as a strategy.
When you declare “a comprehensive defence plan” while shutting out Parliament, the Opposition and the people, this doesn’t make us feel safer. WE the Guyanese people are more concerned. National security is not a private briefing or a “sideline gaffing session”. You, as your predecessors, have demonstrated a wider national responsibility.
Guyana has faced Venezuela before and survived because of unity, not unilateral action and “sideline gaffs”. From Forbes Burnham to Desmond Hoyte and later administrations, Presidents engaged Parliament and the Leader of the Opposition on this very issue. Decisions on sovereignty were treated as national matters, not presidential sideline announcements.
Your approach breaks from that history. You speak of plans developed with international partners, yet there is no evidence of meaningful and structured parliamentary engagement or bipartisan consultation. Something that you reluctantly did under your last administration. It now seems that you have completely given up on this approach now.
Guyana is a small state of under one million people facing a neighbour with a far larger population and military. As such, unity and legitimacy in our actions are our strongest shields and have always been.
The real danger in your approach is that Venezuela has always exploited our division. When Guyana appears fragmented, its claims grow louder. By excluding Parliament and the Opposition, you are weakening our national posture by concentrating these decisions of National consequences only to be in your office and to be reported on the sideline.
We are not asking you for military secrets. This is a call for you to do the constitutionally responsible thing. History shows that Guyana is safest when WE the people stand together. The defence path you are taking without national involvement is not leadership. It is risking Guyana’s future.
Yours in service,
Sharma Solomon
Member of Parliament
