At a time when a sense of solidarity is being promoted among Guyanese, relative to the Guyana/Venezuela border controversy, the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) says it notes with “disgust the maneuverings of the Alliance For Change (AFC) on the matter, for the sake of political gain.”
See their full statement below:
At a time when a sense of solidarity is being promoted among Guyanese, relative to the Guyana/Venezuela border controversy, the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) notes with disgust the maneuverings of the Alliance For Change (AFC) on the matter, for the sake of political gain.
The AFC’s Sunday column published by the Kaieteur News on February 4, 2018 – headlined ‘How dare you, Mr. Jagdeo? Watch and learn’ – blatantly misrepresents comments made by the Party’s General Secretary, Dr Bharrat Jagdeo, in October 2015. The AFC has unashamedly peddled yet another lie. The AFC, in its column, claims that Jagdeo “had seriously considered surrendering parts of Guyana’s land and sea space to Venezuela ‘just to ease the pressure’ on his government and appease the land-hungry Venezuelans.” The facts show that no such comment was ever made. This lie about a concession of Guyana’s territory being offered to Venezuela has been bandied about since late 2015, without consideration of one quintessential fact – no such decision or move was made.
The former President in October 2015 made it clear that in addressing the border controversy several internal discussions were held. He stated that, coming out from an internal technical analysis,several options were reviewed. When pressed by the media corps on the nature of these discussions, Dr Jagdeo said: “There was one view, let me say, ONE view, that you could probably, on the maritime area, give Venezuela a channel out to the sea. So you could have made a concession in the maritime area, but make sure you do not concede any territory that is land based, because the maritime boundaries are still yet to be determined…that was one view.” However, he also stressed that at no decision was made regarding the surrender of Guyana’s land or sea space. There was no “serious consideration” – as the AFC claims – of what was a single view.
Dr Jagdeo has publicly indicated that he may not agree with some of the moves made by the Coalition Government in dealing with the border controversy, but has not expounded on any of these in the interest of ensuring that national solidarity on this matter is not undermined.
The People’s Progressive Party wishes to reiterate that it will be supportive of the Coalition Government’s efforts to safeguard Guyana’s territorial sovereignty. We have a national position on this matter and that will not change.
Given the AFC’s position, one now has to now question if it is the mouthpiece of the government on this issue and if this is the Coalition government’s approach to this matter – one that undermines national solidarity.
