Dear Editor,
It is good to see that differences between the government and the opposition were overcome to reach agreement on the meaning of the actions taken by Venezuela. However, there is a need for immediate preventative action by Parliament. The speeches were very passionate and informative. We must act now in order to prevent a repeat of what occurred with Venezuela’s taking of Ankoko Island. When this occurred, the US intervened afterwards, but no portion of the island was ever returned. If Venezuela use their military to make a further push for land in Essequibo, Guyana risks losing more of its territory. This is most likely to occur after their referendum.
Even if the ICJ rules in our favour, enforcement of the ruling can lead to an escalation. Guyana is in very close proximity to the USA, and our relationship with the USA is stronger than it has ever been before. We also have a strong relationship with Russia and China, but we must remember that Venezuela has a key resource in oil and each of the countries mentioned would benefit from a military conflict that results in obtaining advantageous access to those resources. There-fore, preventing Venezuela from taking military action is of utmost importance.
Sincerely,
Jamil Changlee
Chairman
The Cooperative Republicans of Guyana
