Dear Editor,
The real patriots of our country are those who stood for us in the bad times and in the good. I am talking about the PPP/C, who stood steadfastly with us when times were bad – horrible, I would say – and are now standing up for us when times are once again on a good and genuine trajectory. We are not there yet, but we’re getting there through The Almighty’s Good Graces.
I make this statement based on my own experiences and those that have been accurately documented in our country’s historical records. In this regard, I would like us to focus on the Venezuelan Border issue. For starters, the Opposition have signalled their intention to be supporters and patriots of this country – or so it seems – but are they really speaking the truth? Are they really the patriots they claim to be, or are they a bunch of double-talkers?
For the most part, I think they are a conceited bunch of hypocrites, and this is based on subsequent statements made after the unified house meeting, as well as statements they are continuing to peddle in the public domain. You cannot tell me that the matter is at The International Court of Justice for a final peaceful settlement, yet that party is advocating a military approach against Venezuela? This is the foolishness that obtains when you analyze the substance of their argument.
They advocate that our oil dollars should be better spent channelling our oil revenues into the building up of the military, rather than the construction of roads and other modern infrastructure. This very same reasoning was put forward when we were faced with the Surinamese Aggression. The GDF Command at the time told the Jagdeo Administration that we would escort the CGX Rig back to the disputed spot where it was when faced with Surinamese gunboats that raided it out. The wise Dr Jagdeo resorted to a more sensible and lasting solution by going to court. We won that encounter, and will do the same now with Venezuela.
We are now peacefully co-existing as neighbours should with Suriname, which is the way neighbours should live. Now, if there should come a time when things change economically in that country, and those Guyanese (thousands of them) living there should return home and exercise their franchise here, should they be denied the legal right to vote?
And here is the “burning” question coming from the Opposition: should remigrants having the right to exercise their voting rights; that is, after fulfilling all the legal requirements to vote here? Must we deny them that right? And the answer is a resounding “No!” So, the deceitful Opposition, having failed in that senseless militarization bid, have now found umbrage with the people coming from Venezuela, just as they are critically at odds with the VP.
In fact, some are even of the bold opinion that Dr Jagdeo should be incarcerated! But that is not going to happen, it can’t happen, because the same VP Jagdeo, who was central to us settling the Surinamese conflict, will be there to steer us on to getting the Venezuelan issue resolved. We are not going to be drawn into any armed conflict with Venezuela, our strength is in the law, and we will prevail.
Neither are we going to fall prey to the Opposition’s hysteria. Their hype will not distract us from the task ahead of us. We know what is the Opposition’s plight: like Maduro, they have a party congress that is long overdue, that must be held before the next general election, and dire are the hopes of their party leader.
Maduro is no different; he is on the ropes, like Norton, so any straw that either of these men can clutch at they are using to hinge their fortunes. Our border dispute with Venezuela will be settled soon, by Jah’s Good Graces. I rest my case.
Respectfully,
Neil Adams
