Taking on…China

The US – under Donald Trump’s leadership – has quit pussyfooting and declared this hemisphere as theirs – and China better keep its (sticky) fingers off!! His 2025 National Security Strategy placed renewed emphasis on the hemisphere and declared a “Trump Corollary” to the 1823 Monroe Doctrine. This promises to “deny non-hemispheric competitors – read: China – the ability to position forces or other threatening capabilities, or to own or control strategically vital assets, in our hemisphere”.
While we all know China’s poised to soon pip the US as the biggest economy in the world – when you go a bit more granular, you would’ve seen that the Chinese have already replaced the Americans as Latin America’s development partner with their Belt and Road Initiative and other investments!! The problem with the Yanks is that while they fretted at China’s “encroachment”, they didn’t express the same aggression in getting their companies to do business with the region!! So, while the Chinese here in little Guyana were building airports, bridges and other infrastructure, the Yanks basically only had Exxon pumping oil off the Atlantic. And even that consortium has a 25 per cent Chinese ownership!!
Well, the visit by the head of the US Export-Import Bank – which had already provided a US$2 billion line of credit for US companies willing to do business here – signals that the US looks like it’s gonna get into the (economic investment) trenches with the Chinks. More specifically, the fella’s looking into the large chunk of that credit – more than HALF A BILLION! – that was used to lure in the American investors in the Gas-to-Shore mega project at Wales.
Well, let’s hope the Yanks will now give the Chinks a full court press on investments – because the latter ain’t slacking off. The announcement that the Chinese consortium – CAMCE – Sinopharmintl – is gonna build the new state-of-the-art Regional Hospital in Bartica is a reminder!! They’ve just completed constructing SIX regional hospitals in the country – at Lima (Region Two), De Kinderen (Region Three), Diamond and Enmore (Region Four), Bath (Region 5) and at No. 75 Village (Region Six)! And are gonna build the new $11.4 billion West Dem Hospital in Region Three!!
These projects are based on China’s “One Core, Two Wings” development framework, which spatially integrates an industrial core with differentiated cultural heritages and immersive consumer experiences!! Because they’re closer to our developmental trajectory – from the third world trying to reach the first – the Chinese are gonna be hard to beat. Your Eyewitness advises the Yanks to focus and stress QUALITY as their selling point – since Secretary Rubio’s (albeit unfairly!) crack about shoddy Chinese workmanship resonated widely!!
He recommends that EXIM Bank Chairman John Jovanovic remind his hosts about how long the original Georgetown–Linden Highway held up!!

…Delcy
In her first overseas visit, Venezuela’s acting President, Delcy Rodriguez, jetted over to Grenada, where she was smooched by PM Dickon Mitchell as she announced she planned to use Grenada as a gateway to the Caribbean!! “We hope the bilateral agenda will be able to incorporate other countries in the Caribbean,” she simpered!! The trouble was, visiting a member of CARICOM, she was brazen enough to ostentatiously flaunt a brooch on her lapel that had a map of Venezuela which incorporated our Essequibo!!
Now your Eyewitness’ question is why the dickens didn’t Dickon – who was recently feted by President Ali right here when they opened a Grenadian consulate – register an objection?? CARICOM has made an unequivocal commitment to our territorial integrity and protested Mad Maduro’s bullyism!!
But could it be that Grenada’s membership in the Venezuelan-sponsored ALBA initiative, which provides oil at a concessionary price, has bought them off – as they’d done with St Vincent’s Ralph Gonsalves, who was the dictator’s biggest CARICOM cheerleader??
Thankfully, he was booted out!!
Dickon’s turn??

…WIN?
Looks like the PNC’s making an effort to staunch the bleeding inflicted by Sanction Man’s WIN. Today, they have an outreach in East Ruimveldt promoting a “Street Parliament”. Interestingly, the Leader, Chicken Man and Black Pudding Man are missing!!