Dear Editor,
Russia has made it clear that they are about to increase their military presence in the Caribbean amid increasing global tensions and planned military escalation in the Ukraine war. Yet the current administration has not established a National Security Council nor has a meeting been held by the Foreign Relations Committee. Why the hesitation? CRG had suggested that Guyana place an ambassador in Russia to strengthen our relationship and lobby for Russia to remain neutral in the Venezuelan conflict. This has not happened. Now both Iran and Russia are building up their presence in Venezuela, while the current administration has not taken any action to break diplomatic ties with Venezuela.
An agreement for a military base with our allies has not been established and the government appears to be underplaying the seriousness of the situation. If the concern is that a U.S. led military presence in Guyana will be difficult to wind down in the future, then the United Kingdom should be the ones we ask to take the lead. Bringing a UK led base to our western border with the EU, US and other strategic allies involved has no downside for Guyana. Yet the government continues to hesitate and continues to push aside the importance of discussions on national security issues. Our ambassador to Venezuela should have been recalled months ago. The Argyle agreement is dead and Venezuela shows no interest in slowing down their military buildup along our border. Why is the Ali administration not taking a stronger position?
The PPP/C has recently stated that it has shed its Communist philosophy, but actions will always speak louder than words. In a world where religion and economic philosophy mix deeply with political ideology there is no other way to evaluate a country’s position, but by its actions. The current administration must show clearly where it stands on the current global political climate. Is the rejection of Israel, the U.S. and their capitalist allies more important than the embracing of Islam, Communism, Venezuela and their allies? This is the question that the Ali administration’s inaction has raised. Words alone will no longer suffice.
Sincerely,
Mr. Jamil Changlee
Chairman
The Cooperative Republicans of
Guyana