Dear Editor,

ALLOW me space in your column to express my opinion about the blatant eye pass we continue to receive from Venezuela. Let me first give the readers a brief history lesson.

The Guyana–Venezuela territorial controversy is an ongoing one between the two nations over the Essequibo region.

The boundary controversy was inherited from the colonial powers (Spain in the case of Venezuela, and the Netherlands and the United Kingdom in the case of Guyana) and has persisted following the independence of Venezuela and Guyana.

In 1835, the British government commissioned German-born explorer and naturalist Robert Hermann Schomburgk to survey British Guiana’s boundaries. This survey resulted in what came to be known as the “Schomburgk Line,” which was rejected by the Venezuelan government and the British, as even the extended Schomburgk Line did not include the entire Cuyuní River basin which was claimed by Britain.

Gold was discovered in British Guiana and Venezuela wasn’t pleased with that, so tension arose. As a result, in 1887 Venezuela elected the United States as their representative in the arbitration. The United Kingdom and Venezuela went into arbitration with mediation from the United States, which resulted in the Paris Arbitral Award in 1899 which ruled largely in favour of Britain.

In 1966, a Geneva Agreement was signed between British Guiana and Venezuela. This treaty stipulates that the parties will agree to find a “practical, peaceful and satisfactory solution” to the dispute. Should there be a stalemate, according to the treaty the decision as to the means of settlement is to be referred to an “appropriate international organ” or failing an agreement on this point, to the Secretary-General of the United Nations. The Secretary-General referred the entire matter to the International Court of Justice (ICJ). On 18 December, 2020, the ICJ accepted the case submitted by Guyana to settle the dispute.

Guyanese are not belligerent people and we respect the rule of law. We respect our rightful sovereignty, but Venezuela continues to threaten and provoke the peace of this region. We cannot sit back and allow another occurrence of what took place on 1st of March, 2025, whereby a Venezuelan military vessel came upon our waters to provoke a breach of the peace. The Government of Guyana has already reached out to the regional and international community, who have condemned Venezuela and stated that serious consequences will ensue if the aggressive behaviour continues.

Let’s come together as Guyanese brothers and sisters and reject Venezuela. ” Not ah blade of Grass,” Essequibo is we own.

Yours truly,
Quincy Anderson