Dear Editor,
The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela’s claim to Guyana’s Essequibo on a matter settled over a century and two decades plus amounts to bare greed and downright wickedness.
The unfounded claim to the Essequibo centres on the fact that the region is rich in natural resources, including our oil finds, which adds economic significance to Guyana as a developing nation. Control over the territory would potentially give Venezuela access to such valuable resources.
There is a particular ungodly spirit at play here. When you struggle to become, there is a tendency to go unnoticed. On the other hand, when you begin to prosper due to grit and strategic planning, everything hidden in the woodwork crawls out to get a claw on what you have, or are building.
The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela is not without wealth. The Republic consists of several small islands and a continental landmass. It has an area of about 353,841 square miles, with water making up 3.2% of the total area. As is the case with other countries around the world, the economy is also driven by the natural resources located in the nation.
It is argued that Venezuela’s oil reserves easily trump the combined deposits of the United States, Mexico and Canada. Since 2010, the country has had the world’s largest oil deposits, estimated at 300 billion barrels. Natural resources include natural gas, land for agriculture, water for electricity production, and other resources.
According to estimates, the country’s natural resources total about $14.3 trillion. The country also produces iron, copper, bauxite, coal, zinc, gold, and the like. Venezuela also has great tourism potential. In the past, visitors were known to have been attracted to great tropical weather, wildlife, varied landscapes, and other things.
So, what is their problem in claiming Essequibo? Simple, a desire for power and greed. The leaders must ask themselves what they have done wrong or are doing wrong to find themselves in their current economic predicament.
Cognisance should be taken of the fact that when the human body does not receive the nutrients it needs, it begins consuming its fat reserves, if any. If no fat reserves remain, the body starts to break down muscle tissue in a process called “catabolism.” As a last resort, the body consumes its muscle mass. It could be said that this phenomenon also occurs in economics.
The leadership of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela needs to examine its ways, and strategically address the aforementioned, instead of employing scare tactics and attempting to bully a smaller neighbour, that has become the envy of progress. Guyana will prevail. Essequibo is ours.
Sincerely,
Dr Marcel Raymond Hutson
