In his recent interview on Venezuela, former president Mr Bharrat Jagdeo spoke about his administration’s approach to resolving the border controversy between Guyana and Venezuela. He said that the PPP administration had considered five options for resolving it but he mentioned only one, namely, an outlet to the Atlantic for Venezuela.
Mr Jadgeo questioned the ‘juridical’ route being proposed by the government on the ground that it may not materialize because of the need for Venezuela’s consent. In addition, he warned that if the parties accepted a judicial solution, the involvement of the United Nations in the process might somehow be impaired. He urged that Guyana ought not to take a position that would have such a consequence because it was vital, in his view, that the Secretary General should remain involved in the process. “I am not questioning the juridical route, I am just saying that it is very important to keep the UN involved in the process,” he advised. This was repeated several times in the interview. But Mr Jagdeo never mentioned, contrary to the dangers he now perceives and to his current advice, that he proposed to President Chávez as far back as July 21, 2010, at their meeting in Caracas that serious consideration should be given to having the controversy resolved legally through the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
During last week former president Donald Ramotar also gave an interview to the Stabroek News. He said that his government had rejected a channel through ‘Guyana’s Atlantic waters’ as a means of settling the border controversy with Venezuela and that Mr Jagdeo ought not to have voiced that