DEVELOPMENT is never a smooth process. There are several twists and turns, some fortuitous as in the case of Guyana where the per capita has more than doubled in just a matter of a few years, due in no small measure to the impact of oil revenues.

There are, however, much more to it than oil, as pointed out by President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali during a recent interview with Stephen Salkur, host of the popular BBC show ‘Hard Talk’ beamed to millions across the world.

President Ali was forthright and certainly did not mince words as he responded eloquently to several tough questions posed to him on several issues ranging from threats to our sovereignty and territorial integrity by Venezuela, oil and gas, and environmental issues to ‘corruption’ allegations.

On the issue of threats to our sovereignty and territorial integrity, President Ali debunked the false and misleading narrative peddled by Venezuela regarding the 1899 Arbitral Award which had long settled the borders between the two countries in a binding and definitive manner.

However, in the interest of peace and regional security, the government agreed to allow the matter to be determined at the level of the International Court of Justice (ICJ). According to President Ali, Guyana’s borders are non-negotiable and despite Venezuela’s aggression, the country is not without options to defend itself militarily should the situation so warrant, even as he made it clear that Guyana’s first line of defence is diplomacy.

“We are investing in our military; we are investing in the technology of our military. We are investing in infrastructure…we are working on the basis of an international coalition that would not allow this region to be destabilised by any action by Venezuela to overrun our territorial integrity of our borders.

“If there is any breach in our territorial space; if there is any action by anyone to destabilise our country and to invade in any way, shape or form, we will call upon every force and every friend to help us and to work with us to protect our territorial integrity,” he further elaborated.

These are indeed comforting and reassuring words coming from a leader who is known for his resolve and resolute stance in defence of the country’s territorial borders and also the resources of the nation both on land and on our maritime borders. Guyana may be relatively small in terms of population, geography and military strength, but it has a network of strategic friends and capabilities that are more than adequate to thwart the designs of any invading power that seeks to undermine our national security interests.

On the question of our oil and gas contract entered between the former APNU+AFC regime and Exxon Mobil, while acknowledging that the contract was highly skewed in favour of the oil conglomerate, President Ali was at pains to point out that the sanctity of contracts must be respected to allow for investor confidence but insisted that all future contracts will be entered into on much more favourable terms to the country and its people.

And recognising the critical importance of oil revenues for the country’s development, President Ali took the opportunity to re-assure the world that Guyana’s development will not be done at the expense of the environment and said emphatically that Guyana’s status as a global leader in terms of its carbon sink and net zero emitter of carbon emissions are not under threat.

President Ali must be commended for how he responded to pointed, and at times loaded questions on the widely-watched BBC Hard Talk programme. Indeed, he has once again represented Guyana with dignity and pride on the international media landscape.