Dear Editor,
With the discovery and now production of oil Guyana has entered a new phase not only in its history; but also our global significance. We however seem to be unable to fully grasp our new geo-strategic significance. Nowhere is this more painfully obvious than the conduct of our press corps. I was surprised when on the 21st January I was forwarded an article titled An Oil-Based Perspective of Venezuela’s Essequibo Region (https://venezuelanalysis.com/analysis/15101). The article was nothing special, another in a long line of poorly written pieces, containing thinly veiled threats against Guyana and calls for Caracas to step up its ill-conceived policy of economic warfare. What did strike me was the name of the author. Mr Arcia-Aporrea is a Venezuelan who has on numerous occasions called for the annexation of Essequibo and praised recent decrees by Caracas infringing on Guyana’s territorial waters (https://twitter.com/EinsteinMillan/status/1347502947295506433). Despite this, in the last year or so he has been featured no less than five times in Guyanese newspapers; supposedly to provide impartial advice on the impending doom to be brought about by oil and gas.
Mr Arcia-Aporrea’s opinions are proffered not to help Guyana, in fact he holds Guyana in very low regard (https://twitter.com/KSansculotteG/status/1229127402263138304 ). Rather his purpose is to ensure that we are dissuaded from developing our oil and gas, which he assumes belongs to Caracas. Mr Arcia-Aporrea’s has made no attempt to hide his irredentist claims, nor his loyalties. This begs the question, how could a Venezuelan bent on dismembering Guyana be afforded space in this newspaper to spread misinformation intent on weakening Guyana? Was this man not vetted? Did this paper which thousands of Guyanese read daily, not think to do a simple background check before publishing his pieces? This is not only a failure of the letters section editor, but a case of pure negligence and disregard for the delicate position that Guyana finds itself in vis-a-vis Venezuela. In fact on one occasion a Guyanese newspaper sought his opinions as an ‘impartial expert’ (https://www.kaieteurnewsonline.com/2020/05/31/guyana-needs-to-investigate-flaring-on-liza-destiny/).
While I am not saying all news about oil and gas should be good news, it seems that in their rush to push a narrative of doom and gloom Guyana’s foremost newspapers have allowed a person who wishes ill on Guyana space to spread misinformation. While offering advice in English and claiming that oil will spell and end to Guyana; in Spanish Mr Arcia-Aporrea openly calls for the economic retardation and even invasion of Guyana. As we say in Berbice, All Skin Teet Nah Smile. Guyana deserves better from our media.
Yours faithfully,
Dr Kwesi Sansculotte-Greenidge
