THE Government of Guyana is mandated by Article 197 (A) (1) of the constitution to “defend national independence, preserve the country’s sovereignty and integrity and guarantee the normal functioning of institutions and the security of citizens against any armed aggression.” At no time, in the history of independent Guyana, is the execution of that mandate more important than it is today. You see, today it’s a question of sovereignty and territorial integrity; it’s about guarding against external forces from hijacking the birthright of every single Guyanese.

Protecting our frontline

It is for this reason that there must be a stronger sense of national consciousness among citizens; biases– political and otherwise– must be tossed aside, and a formidable united front must be established in the interest of the country. President David Granger told residents of Baramita, in Barima-Waini (Region One), “I would like you to treasure your citizenship. You must be proud of being Guyanese, proud of your flag, proud of your national pledge, proud of your national anthem, proud of your citizenship.”

Guyana has a border with Venezuela that is over 800 kilometres long. This boundary was defined and settled in the 1899 Arbitral Award. However, from the time of our independence, generations of Guyanese have had to deal with a controversy over that border and even with the best efforts at diplomacy, including trade deals, which offered temporary respite, the issue continued to rear its head; hampering economic development.

Following the announcement of the United Nations referral of the matter to the

International Court of Justice (ICJ) to bring this matter to a permanent conclusion, the government has recognised the importance of strengthening security mechanisms and ensuring the safety of all Guyanese, especially those in the regions that are home to what President David Granger has termed “frontline” communities.

As a result of the unstable situation in the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, as well as the ongoing border controversy, Commander-in-Chief, President Granger, who chairs the Defence Board, has taken the lead in conducting outreaches to the frontline communities, to interact with residents and assure them of the government’s commitment to their safety. He also instructed the GDF to brief the Parliamentary Committee on security as well as civil society up to speed on the steps that are being taken to secure the country.

In Whitewater, Region One, a new patrol base has been set up by the GDF, after the Regional Intelligence Committee reported in a letter to the Head of State some security concerns. These reports were acted upon swiftly by the government and the base was set up in less than 72 hours.

Further, Cabinet has since adopted a concept note on a Frontline Village Policy, which is aimed at greater inclusion of all communities on the national borders. “Venezuela has been claiming more than half of our country; the Barima-Waini, the Cuyuni-Mazaruni and the Rupununi regions, but I want you to know that we are not surrendering one centimetre of our territory; not a blade of grass. We are here to work with your village, with your region, with your Toshao, with your residents, whether they are Caribs, or Warraus or Arawaks or Arecunas, to make sure Guyana is safe. Just as we inherited Guyana from our foreparents, we want to pass it on to our children,” the Head of State told residents of Baramita, Region One.

Speaking to the community of Kaikan, another frontline village in the Cuyuni-Mazaruni region, the President said that frontier communities are guardians of Guyana’s territorial integrity and national security.

“We are not making war with anyone, but I want you to be prepared… My brothers and sisters, we have to protect ourselves… People bring illegal guns into the country and they commit crimes with those illegal guns, unregistered guns. These crimes make us feel very unsafe…We can’t only rely on the police; we have to look after our own families, our own communities,” the President said.

Currently, there is strong military presence in villages such as Kaikan and Whitewater, providing security to those and other surrounding villages on a 24-hour basis. This move has allowed Guyanese to rest easier, particularly those residents who have been terrorised by the notorious Venezuelan criminal gang called ‘Syndicatos’.

For all of these communities, the President has put forward a 10-point village improvement plan that aims at ensuring access to public services in the areas of citizenship, registration and immigration, education, human safety, information communication technology, national defence, public health, public infrastructure, social cohesion and social protection. In fact, the process has already started in Baramita, with the newly constructed building complex, which includes nursery and primary school buildings, teachers’ quarters, medical centre and nurses’ quarters. These facilities will now serve as a hub for residents to access basic social services, to which they are entitled.

The government recognises that the military’s role in protecting a stable environment can create stable and secure conditions in which economic growth can flourish. With the Frontline Village Policy, along with continued diplomacy and that imminent final ruling from the World Court, it is hoped that century-old impediment, will finally be a thing of the past.

In foreign policy, defence cooperation is defined as an ideal tool to advance the national foreign policy objectives by building bridges of friendship, preventing conflicts, building mutual trust and capacities on a global basis. The process signals the political commitment to develop cooperative relations and dispel mistrust and misperception on issues of common military interest. This definition is exemplified by the defence cooperation that is shared between Guyana and some of its bilateral partners such as China, the United States of America and Brazil. Brazil and Guyana share a 50-year-old relationship that is characterised by mutual respect for territorial integrity and sovereignty and the strong military-to-military cooperation between the two countries is a demonstration of this.

In February, during the visit of Brazil’s Defence Minister, the two countries agreed to review a Joint Communiqué that was first introduced in September 2012. This is intended to deepen cooperation and will significantly add to an already impressive cooperation programme, which has seen hinterland residents benefiting from wells drilled by the Brazilian military and training and capacity building for GDF officers.

Importantly, Brazil has been and remains a strong ally and supporter of Guyana in the ongoing border controversy with Venezuela. Time and time again, Brazil has indicated that it has no interest in changing settled and established boundaries on the continent. Guyana continues to enjoy friendly relations with Brazil and in a tangible demonstration of this commitment, the two countries, in November last year, undertook a project to remark the borders they share. This exercise solidified the friendship between the two countries and a demonstration of mutual respect for territorial integrity and sovereignty.

In fact, Brazil’s diplomatic envoy to Guyana, Ambassador Lineu Pupo De Paula of Brazil, said, “I firmly believe that in the 21st century there is no place for old territorial disputes. Guyana has the right and I agree that the government has a duty to seek the development of the country. The common goal should be the welfare of all peoples of the Region. South America is a place of peace and will continue to be, because Brazil will not accept any turmoil in its borders.”

Similar cooperation exists between Guyana and the People’s Republic of China. In fact, there is an existing cooperation agreement between the GDF and the Chinese military, the People’s Liberation Army.

In April last year, the GDF received from the PLA, a donation of 31 pieces of equipment, including patrol boats, bulldozers, one excavator, water tankers, fuel tankers, tipper trucks, off-road ambulances and several other vehicles. This donation will also ensure that the GDF’s mandate to support the infrastructural development of the country is boosted; enabling the Force, to not only contribute to national development, but also to execute its mandate of protecting the territory and preventing transnational crimes.

Through the United States Southern Command, SOUTHCOM, assigned officers function as military consultants to the Guyana Defence Force at the Chief-of-Staff and Force Staff levels. Last year, Guyana became the first Caribbean country to host the Caribbean Nations Security Conference, which is sponsored by SOUTHCOM and is aimed at examining threats to Caribbean stability and improving regional security cooperation.

Around the world, there are many independent countries, where people are not yet free to pursue their economic, social and cultural development. They are not free simply because their sovereignty is threatened and their patrimony is under siege, simply as a result of unjust claims to their territories. Thankfully, there is an end in sight to the border controversy with Venezuela and the conflict and Guyana’s right to develop its resources in an exclusive economic zone will be secured for generations to come for the good of all its citizens.