AFTER prolonged diplomatic exchanges between the Governments of Venezuela and Britain the years 1880 to 1885, the border dispute concerning the western boundary of Guyana with Venezuela could not be resolved. As a result, the Venezuelan Government found itself in great diplomatic bitterness and frustration with Britain around 1887. According to the Venezuelan version of the matter, 50,000 square miles of territory were involved in the dispute. Venezuela claimed this territory by virtue of being the successors to the territory once occupied by Spain. On the other hand, Britain claimed the territory by reason of being the conquerors of the Dutch, who in turn had the rights to the land accruing to them through their occupation of Spanish territories, Guyana included. The Dutch had rebelled against Spanish domination and, during the long war which followed, occupied Guyana, including the Essequibo region which Venezuela now claims as hers.

Such was the early history of the border dispute. The map by Schomburgk dated 1874 clearly indicated the area belonging to Guyana on its western border. The Venezuelans have since then been very dissatisfied with the territory allotted to them. As a result, the relations between Guyana and Venezuela became very tense a time. But disputes between nations with respect to their borders are known to exist for generations on end and are not easily resolved, as no true patriot, lover of nation, people and country would cede away territory that appears to be justly owned by the country. Consequently, this territorial claim by Venezuela on Guyana territory is resisted by Guyana.

Guyana, as well as Venezuela, has great expanses of land mass lying idle and covered with forest of one kind or another. There is no hatred and/or enmity as such between the two governments or the people of the two countries. There are no immediate plans for development and exploitation of the disputed area by Guyana, and so this problem of immense importance to both nations remains unresolved, waiting for the leaders to reach a final, binding agreement. Thus the border issue between the two countries remains unsettled. It is feared that it will again raise its distasteful head sometime in the future.