GEORGETOWN, Guyana, CMC—The leader of the main opposition People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR), Aubrey Norton, has accused the Guyana government of “only coming alive when Venezuela acts up” and of reneging on an agreement that would have allowed for the chairmanship of the parliamentary committee on foreign affairs to be handed over to Shadow Foreign Affairs Minister Amanza Walton-Desir.
“We in the opposition are aware that the arbitral award 1899 settled the question of the border between Guyana and Venezuela. Essequibo belongs to us, and we will continue our constant support to ensure Essequibo remains the property of Guyana.
“We support the case before the International Court of Justice (ICJ), and we believe that we will have a positive outcome, and it is our view that all parties should honor the outcome of the judgment at the ICJ,” Norton said, adding that the opposition supports “our soldiers in their quest and efforts to protect Guyana’s territorial integrity.
“We wish, of course, they were given more resources to do so. We denounce Venezuela’s so-called elections in Essequibo. There can be no such elections. No Guyanese should be voting or be allowed to vote in such an election. Such elections violate international law, and we support the actions to ensure that no elections are held in Essequibo, which belongs to Guyana.”
Norton said the opposition is “deeply concerned that the government has no plan to keep Venezuela at bay.
“It is ridiculous as far as we are concerned that while the Venezuelans are seeking to hold an election purporting to have governors in Essequibo, the Guyana government is inviting us to a concert. It makes absolutely no sense.
“It is ridiculous. We have made several proposals to the government in previous debates in the parliament and in meetings with the President, all of which the government failed to honor.
“We were aware that Venezuela is going to have these or rather sham elections, and the government did absolutely nothing, but now, suddenly, they are telling us about a concert and a motion in parliament.”
Norton said that legislators have passed motions before with clear things that should have been done, and the government failed to do them. So, we cannot continue to support a government that is inactive on the Guyana-Venezuela territorial controversy and seems only to come alive when Venezuela acts up.
“That is unacceptable. We have continuously supported the opposition as the opposition, but the government refuses to engage the opposition.”
Norton said that the opposition is now being told “that we must support a motion in parliament that makes no sense to us.
“In my meeting with the President, the issue of the handing over the parliamentary committee on foreign affairs to the opposition was raised, and we were told that a meeting would be convened and Hon. Amanza Walton-Desir would have become the chairman of that parliamentary committee.
“Until now, no action has been taken to hand over the foreign affairs committee, yet you now seek our assistance and cooperation. We do not intend to provide you with the opportunity for optics.”
Norton said that the opposition wants “genuine involvement” if it is to confront the problems facing the people of Guyana, especially as they relate to the Guyana-Venezuela territorial controversy.
“There have been no serious meetings even to discuss a plan. Yes, we made many proposals, and you did not respond to them, but you also failed to convene meetings so that we could discuss critical national issues. As a government, you refused to put our representatives on boards.”
Norton said President Irfaan Ali had written to him “as Leader of the Opposition, indicating he wanted to set up the Local Government Commission.
“We have sent our nominees since last year, and they have not constituted the Commission. They are showing no interest in being inclusive. They continue to be divisive, and moving forward, unless the government is prepared to engage the opposition meaningfully, we cannot continue to cooperate with them.
“Apart from the treatment of the opposition as it relates to the Guyana-Venezuela territorial controversy, we are now embroiled in a situation in which there’s the murder of an 11-year-old child, and this government refuses to invite a reputable international organization to investigate.
“I say to you, the people of Guyana, to the government; if the government has nothing to hide if the police have nothing to hide, why would you not want a reputable international organization to investigate the death of Adrianna Younge? That is a question you must answer,” Norton said.
He said, to add insult to injury, several “innocent” people have been arrested and charged “under a terrorism law,” accusing Ali of doing so “just because you have control over the police and there are citizens out there who might not have the level of representation.
“We have sought legal assistance and will strive to ensure those persons are released.
Let it be clear: we do not support looting and violence, but at the same time, we cannot support the charging of young men for terrorism who are involved in looting. They must be charged under the appropriate law.
“This government is just dictatorial. They are totalitarian. They believe they must control the total lives of the people of Guyana. We cannot and will not allow it. The misuse of the terrorism law must come to an end.”
Norton said that while the opposition will continue its support for the people of Guyana in the controversy with Venezuela, “let it be made very clear that any future cooperation or assistance to the government on this issue will come only after the government engages and recognizes the role of the opposition in this country.
“So all Guyanese should be aware that we are supportive of our actions to protect our territorial integrity, ensure our soldiers’ safety, and denounce the elections in Venezuela. But we are unhappy with a government that continuously promises to implement decisions and fails to do so.”
Norton recalled that the government had promised a proper national public relations program, but that has not materialized.
“We have had enough of the government wanting our support when Venezuela acts up but then applying dictatorial methods to the people of Guyana, depriving them of freedom, depriving them of liberty, and the government operating as if it has the Transport for Guyana.
“We will bring it to an end. There will not be cooperation and support in such an environment,” Norton added.
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