Dear Editor:
IN testimony yesterday (Thursday) before the U.S. Senate Intelligence Committee’s hearings on the firing of FBI Director James Comey and possible Russian interference in last November’s American elections, Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Mike Pompeo, said that the current unrest and political situation in Venezuela present a threat to the countries of South America.

Later in the hearings, the CIA director was asked about the possible majority ownership by Russian oil companies in American oil-refining capacity. These hearings are beginning to bring to the fore what could well be a carefully orchestrated plan between the Russians and certain powerful elements within the U.S. administration not only to attempt to influence if not hack elections in “strategic” countries, but to access and control the resources of these countries for personal gain.

Guyana has emerged as a strategic country given our declared oil reserves so far, and with the prospects of additional finds. Venezuela is a neighbour with a claim to our maritime space and five- eights of our territory and has indicated that it may not agree to this claim being finally addressed through the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
So, what might be some of the serious threats which the current situation in Venezuela presents to South America, and more particularly Guyana? The mass movement of Venezuelans into neighbouring countries would be one, but of course there are many others, some of which the Guyana government and scholars of international relations might not be able to anticipate without the necessary intelligence. Against this backdrop, I would hope that Guyana would, if it does not already exist, set up a Special Commission on the protection of its sovereignty, territorial integrity and natural resources that would be politically bipartisan, and that would include members of civil society and others with the ability to contribute to the work of this commission, particularly for intelligence-gathering and analysis. This commission could assist the government and more particularly the foreign ministry in the collection and analysis of intelligence and information.

As an emerging oil-producing country with significant reserves, Guyana could well be a target of international banditry that would seek to compromise the privacy of our national institutions and elected officials, interfere with our internal processes and ultimately impact negatively our sovereignty and territorial integrity.
This is not an attempt at scaremongering. What is being alleged to have happened and is happening regarding Russian involvement in U.S. policy and its link to the conduct of the relations between and among states, must not be underestimated. Imagine the U.S. president meeting with the Russian foreign minister and barring the American presidential press corps, while allowing the Russian media into the Oval Office? As simple an issue as this would seem, it should not be taken lightly in the context of the relationship between some powerful people and the Russians.

Some may feel we are too small a player in global politics and finance to be a target of the objectives of those inclined to be involved in international banditry. Others may feel that even if this is so, there is little or nothing we could do about it. This would be foolish thinking. The U.S. political system and institutions provide for a certain degree of transparency, as well as checks and balances, which expose corruption and other wrongdoing, even on the part of its highest officials. Guyana’s diplomatic efforts must include establishing good working relations with those good and honest officials in the U.S. Further I say no more.

Regards
Wesley Kirton