Looking…at Duplicitous Delcy

Well, all the arguments and counterarguments on the Venezuelan border controversy have been made to the august jurists up at the World Court!! We now gotta wait for them to announce their decision – which, being the full bench of all 15 of them – will take some time!! From the Venezuelans’ central argument that the original arbitral panel back in 1899 didn’t use “legal” doctrine to delineate the boundary – but yielded to “pressure” from the President – they know they better dot their legal “i’s” and cross their legal “t’s” as they huddle!!
But the Venezies are gonna be hoisted by their own petard!! After all, all the legal reasons for awarding territory in an international dispute – possession, Dutch rather than Spanish occupation since the 17th century, acceptance for five decades, effective rule by Guyana since, Uti possidetis juris – to preserve inherited boundaries, etc. – the decision will certainly be in our favour!! It’s a slam dunk, baby!! The Venezies always knew this – and that’s why they’ve rejected the ICJ’s jurisdiction to adjudicate!! Let’s pick sense from nonsense, shall we?? If they believe there was a LEGAL miscarriage of justice back in 1899, doesn’t it make sense for the TOP INTERNATIONAL JURISTS to correct the same if it were so??
Why insist the LEGAL procedure to resolve a LEGAL issue must be abandoned in favour of the two contending parties settling the matter between themselves in a “practical manner”?? Aren’t they ensuring a repetition of the 60+ years of wrangling that defined the denouement of the Geneva Agreement?? Years of mixed border teams meetings, a 10-year moratorium, and the UN Secretary General’s “Good Offices” process??
Anyhow, since we know we’re a while away from the judgement we gotta have a plan to deal with Devious Delcy’s designs during that time. Sadly, it’s gonna be more of the same ole; same ole – a combination of the cold and hot war we’ve been facing for over a decade – ever since we struck oil!! We can even expect ramped-up belligerence – since there is nothing worse than an installed, precarious ACTING President scorned! Devious Delcy knows her opponents for power are gonna be pushing the line that she’s a sell-out – so she’ll be shooting from both barrels going forward to counter them.
Expect more “Sindicatos” – controlled by Devious Delcy’s military – to harass and attack our border settlements, including the GDF, who’ve been deployed to protect them!! Up to now, all we’ve been hearing is them shooting at us!! How about us returning fire and taking out some of them?? That’ll get Delcy’s attention!!
Then of course, we gotta ramp up our diplomatic outreach to the world to show how she’s thumbing her nose at them!!
The US? Let’s increase the business linkages!! That’ll talk!!

…Exxon’s pipelines
Up at the Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) in Houston, with all the biggies in the oil business present and accounted for, the President of Exxon – lead operator in our world-class Stabroek Block, approaching 1M bpd – announced they’ll be landing the second gas pipeline in Berbice before Pressie’s term ends!! Meaning before 2030!! Now if Exxon says so, it’s gonna be so!! They proved it with the gas pipeline to Vreed-en-hoop – to feed the Wales GtE projects!!
The challenge, however, ain’t with the pipeline and gas supply – Berbice is gonna be supplied from the new Haimara field. From our (bitter) experience, it’s with the structures that needs to be installed – starting with power generators then the factories that’ll use the power and gas to manufacture fertilisers, etc. And more importantly, encourage investors to use the cheap electricity to add value to Berbice’s agricultural products, create employment and thus raise the standard of living from its present depressed state!
Don’t wait to build a latrine till you just GOTTA go!! It’s messy!!

…at World Donkey Day
Yesterday was World Donkey Day. Sadly, your Eyewitness didn’t see no tribute to our local donkeys, who were the mainstay in transporting goods for over a century!
Not to mention the donkey carts we rode on!!