– says 83,000 square miles will be defended by 800,000 Guyanese
Prime Minister, Brigadier (ret’d) Mark Phillips is confident that the Guyanese populace is united under the banner of vigilance and patriotism, emphasising their collective strength in times of heightened tension between Venezuela in the decades-old border controversy.
Addressing the National Stakeholder Forum for Civil Society Engagement on the Venezuela/Guyana Border Controversy at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC) on Friday, Phillips who is carrying out duties as President, expressed gratitude to the public for their display of national patriotism and for standing in solidarity with Guyana’s position of peace towards Venezuela’s claims on Essequibo.
Prime Minister Mark Phillips addressing the gathering
“This is not a war in the sense that we want to cross borders and fight Venezuela. We are defending our territory with all that we have, all our resources; 83,000 square miles will be defended by 800,000 Guyanese.”
Welcoming the favourable ruling of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to prevent any actions by Venezuela under its referendum from unlawfully annexing Guyana’s Essequibo region, Phillips emphasised the importance of unity and urged citizens to rise above their differences and come together in solidarity.
“It is through unity that we will prevail; through unity that we will stand strong; through unity, we will emerge victorious against adversities that come our way. Patriotism and nationalism are the bedrock of our resilience. We must love our country, cherish our heritage, and defend our territorial integrity with unwavering dedication. In the face of the ongoing border controversy, let us reaffirm our commitment to the principles that bind us together as proud Guyanese.
Addressing concerns about misinformation, Prime Minister Phillips urged the public to rely on official sources for accurate information about national security and public safety. He emphasised the need to verify news before sharing, especially in the face of fake news intended to sow panic and confusion.
Guyanese demonstrating their patriotism at the national forum
“Be cautious of misinformation that can harm our unity and stability. The public must remain calm and keep themselves informed through reliable channels, even as we assure you that our Government is working tirelessly to ensure the safety of our people and the victory of our country.”
The Prime Minister also affirmed the Government’s resolute commitment to following international law to protect Guyana’s territorial integrity, while asserting that “Venezuela’s attempts to undermine our sovereignty, particularly through the unlawful manipulation of the forthcoming referendum, will not prevail.”
He also lauded organisations such as the Caribbean Community (Caricom), the Commonwealth, the United Nations, and the Organisation of American States (OAS) for supporting territorial integrity and sovereignty.
“Essequibo belongs to Guyana. Let that be our guiding mantra even as we move towards a peaceful resolution of this matter.”
Meanwhile, Parliamentary Affairs and Governance Minister, Gail Teixeira reminded that Guyana as a country will always follow international law and is one that will not be easily defeated.
“We’re a peaceful people. We’re not aggressive but also, don’t take our peacefulness for granted. Don’t ever do that. We as a people have a strength and a personality that keeps on going regardless of what happens. We have shown that over and over in our history we are not easily defeated. We may take a long time to get to where we want to, but we do it and we keep on doing it,” she affirmed.
After abiding by the 1899 Arbitral Award for almost half a century, Venezuela in 1962 claimed that the Essequibo area of Guyana belonged inside its borders. Guyana has noted that the boundary between the then-colony of British Guiana and Venezuela was determined by the Arbitral Award as a “full” and “final” settlement.
Last month, the Venezuelan National Electoral Council had published a list of five questions that it plans to put before the Venezuelan people in a referendum set for December 3, 2023. The referendum will seek the Venezuelan people’s approval to, among other things, annex Essequibo and create a Venezuelan state. It also seeks the citizens’ approval for Venezuela to grant citizenship and identity cards to residents of Essequibo.
However, Guyana had approached the ICJ, which on Friday barred Venezuela from taking action to challenge Guyana’s sovereignty over Essequibo, but in a subsequent release issued by the Venezuelan Government, it stated that the referendum will proceed as planned. (G-12)
