Silence …

…on border

Ralph Ramkarran reminded the new US Ambassador about their role on the border controversy, which Venezuela’s been hanging over our heads like the sword of that Damocles Greek fella. And we know what’s happening to Greece! Ramkarran being Ramkarran, played it safe. He gave a good historical account of the US fin de siècle role back in 1899, when that country was still feeling it’s oats against its old colonial master Britain.

Taking the burdens of its Monroe Doctrine seriously (ironically patterned on Britain’s earlier “white man’s burden” that forced it to intervene in countries all over the world to right wrongs!) the US made sure that justice was given to Venezuela against big, bad Britain. And justice Venezuela got. Since the Cuyuni was, and is, a tributary of the Essequibo, older maps had shown its entire basin belonging to British Guiana. Much of it was transferred to Venezuela.

But Ramkarran did show conclusively that the US then wasn’t just a disinterested bystander back in 1899. On the US’ role in 1962, however, Ramkarran is quite coy. He claims that country was “silent” then and: “If geopolitical considerations were responsible for the silence of the US in the past, that period is over.” But was the US really “silent” in the 1960s when Venezuela precipitated the controversy at the UN? Ramkarran ignores all the evidence in the declassified files of the US State Department and is silent. Since Ramkarran isn’t a country, presumably the consideration for his silence isn’t “geopolitical”. No prizes for guessing what the “consideration” is!!

Anyhow evidently goaded (prompted?) by Ramkarran’s call, the US responded immediately via its new Ambassador: “We call on all parties to continue to respect the 1899 arbitral ruling and boundary unless or until a competent legal body decides otherwise or both parties agree on something else.” Now is this the kick in the groin for Venezuela Ramkarran was telegraphing?

Bit of a letdown, don’t you think? This Eyewitness was kinda hoping that at the end of the statement, the Ambassador would’ve added some kind of “or else!!” In diplomatic language, of course, but still an “or else!” Even Maduro’s been expecting this…and said so in so many words. Now while in the anarchic arena of international relations you have to keep the other side guessing, you also can’t disappoint your allies too much – especially when they’ve gone so far out on a limb for you.

Now that our Caricom brothers are starting to practice fence straddling on the border controversy, the US has to come down a tad more firmly. Or else!?

…on Oct 5th

Emancipation Day was an inaugural event in the history of Guyana since it presaged the entry of all the other groups that now make up this wonderful rainbow nation. It should be and is celebrated by all. Analogously, in your Eyewitness’ humble opinion, October 5th is a historical day in our national experience: it signalled the return of democracy in this country. And should be celebrated by every Government following the PPP/C Government, since without October 5th, 1992, we would still be living in a dictatorship. Democracy Day!!!

Can you imagine us without free and fair elections? Moses Nagamootoo wouldn’t have the Cummingsburg Accord crafted so that he could share in all the powers of the Presidency. Khemraj Ramjattan would never have been allowed to have all the power to close bars at 2 am in the morning or have the guns that Amerindians hunt for a subsistence life, turned in.

This Eyewitness is very miffed that the Government allowed Democracy Day to pass without spending even a paltry Gy$100M on a big bash!

…on Nagamootoo’s trip

Your Eyewitness was able to confirm that after spending a couple of days in New Jersey, Nagamootoo proceeded to Texas and then on to Toronto.

After praising it so many times, he couldn’t bear that Oct 5th was going to be dissed. No hypocrite this!!