The National Assembly today passed a solidarity motion reaffirming Guyana’s sovereignty, days before Venezuela plans to hold regional elections to appoint lawmakers to govern Guyana’s Essequibo region.
The motion, presented by Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Hugh Todd, sought to reaffirm Guyana’s sovereignty over the Essequibo as was conclusively settled by the 1899 Arbitral Award.
During his contribution, Minister Todd outlined in chronological order, Venezuela’s violation of provisions issued by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to refrain from any action that alters Guyana’s control over the Essequibo region. The minister made it known that 𝐆𝐮𝐲𝐚𝐧𝐚 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐧, 𝐢𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐛𝐞 𝐛𝐮𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐝, 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐫 𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐲 as Venezuela prepares to hold fraudulent elections.
Minister Todd noted, “𝐖𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐥𝐚𝐰 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐭 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐮𝐩𝐨𝐧 𝐕𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐳𝐮𝐞𝐥𝐚 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐲 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐭’𝐬 𝐥𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐛𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐟𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐳𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐯𝐢𝐨𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐆𝐮𝐲𝐚𝐧𝐚’𝐬 𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲.”
Following a detailed presentation by Todd outlining Guyana’s calculated recourse to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and Venezuela’s unrelenting defiance, Opposition Leader, Aubrey Norton took to the floor to make his contribution. Norton explicitly stated that the motion could not receive the opposition’s support, citing that it was weak and devoid of opposition input, among other criticisms.
Norton went as far as calling the government a “hopeless bunch” for being too dependent on the International Court of Justice (ICJ). Following his presentation, Norton led a walk-out of the House.
Norton’s address was later met with criticisms from other parliamentarians, including Deputy Speaker, Dr. Asha Kissoon who rebuked the opposition’s behavior. The deputy speaker stated, “Clearly, what we have seen is a classic case of them mistaking the word Parliament as a synonym for circus, and the performances were not even entertaining.”
Similarly, Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall lambasted the opposition for breaking an immaculate parliamentary record, where political opponents, long before him, have always registered their support for motions on Guyana’s territorial sovereignty.
Nandlall, during his address to the House said it is unfortunate that Norton would choose to encourage the political opposition to not only walk out but withhold support for the government’s motion.
During his wrap up of the debate on the solidary motion, Minister Todd addressed Norton, delivering a stinging rebuke. He said Norton’s position renders him incompetent as a leader.
“𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐛𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐚𝐭 𝐬𝐞𝐚…𝐇𝐞’𝐬 𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐢𝐦𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧. 𝐇𝐞’𝐬 𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐮𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐢𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲. 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐞’𝐬 𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐮𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐌𝐚𝐝𝐮𝐫𝐨. 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭’𝐬 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐧𝐨𝐰. 𝐇𝐞’𝐬 𝐠𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐌𝐚𝐝𝐮𝐫𝐨’𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐡𝐞’𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐦𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐮𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐮𝐩,” said Minister Todd.
On the bright side, Todd said Guyana remains well represented by its government which is led by President, Dr. Irfaan Ali. Todd said, “He (the president) has been leading from the front. He’s been traversing the world. He has been engaging with the media and he’s been strengthening our resolve.”
