Leader of the Opposition, Joseph Harmon has written to President Dr Irfaan Ali requesting a meeting on several issues inclusive of recent activities on the Guyana/Venezuela border.
Harmon made the disclosure during a virtual press conference earlier today.
According to Harmon, the new government has been talking about a number of “agreements” since August 2, 2020 and the parliamentary opposition would like to be formally briefed on these developments.
He referred to pacts such as ExxonMobil’s Payara development and the agreements signed by the Guyana Government and the USA during US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s visit to Guyana.
Additionally, Harmon said the recent attacks on the country’s law enforcement officials from suspected gangs in Venezuela is another matter of concern.
The Guyana Defence Force (GDF) disclosed that on Wednesday, a group of army and police ranks came under fire while on a routine joint patrol along the Cuyuni River and had to return fire across the border.
While no one was injured, the army said this is not the first time such an incident has occurred and noted that aggressive joint patrols have intensified in the area.
Nevertheless, Harmon – a former Member of the National Security Council – stressed that such incidents cannot be taken lightly.
“And this is one of the reasons why I wrote [President Ali] yesterday, asking for this information from the President. And certainly…we should, as a matter of national concern, discuss these matters which affect our territorial integrity and national sovereignty,” Harmon said.
Only last Friday, Guyana entered into an agreement with the United States to have joint maritime patrols in order to guard against drug trafficking and other security threats posed by Venezuela.
