A good move by Guyana
FACED with hostile posturings on two fronts, the Guyana Government has decided to establish a broad-based advisory committee to deal with matters pertaining to its national frontier with Venezuela on the west and Suriname in the east. This is a commendable move by President Bharrat Jagdeo since the territorial integrity of Guyana, a founding member of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and home of the Community Secretariat, transcends narrow, partisan politics. They may have differing views on approaches to practical resolutions to the century-old territorial disputes arising from Venezuela's claim to some two thirds of Guyana's territory, and the approximately 6,000 square miles claim by Suriname. But the political parties are at one in opposing threats to the country's territorial integrity and political sovereignty. The initiative to establish the broad-based national frontiers advisory committee is all the more encouraging because it will be pursued despite hitherto unsuccessful attempts by the government to establish a standing bipartisan parliamentary committee on international affairs. Such a bi-partisan parliamentary committee is, of course, desirable not just for Guyana; or Belize for that matter, in view of their special territorial problems with neighbouring states. Such a course appears quite relevant for all of the CARICOM member countries, and particularly at this time when the community's governments are consistently adopting a consensual approach in external negotiations. If consensus is desirable at the regional level, then it must begin at home. Therefore, it is good to know that while his government will continue efforts to create a bi-partisan parlimentary committee on foreign affairs, President Jagdeo is breaking new ground by his proposal for the broad-based advisory committee on Guyana's territorial problems. The controversy sparked by Suriname's resort to force in frustrating a Canadian company's off-shore oil drilling operation that held much promise for oil exploration in the Guyana-Suriname basin, as well as the most recent warnings from Venezuela in opposition to the Beal Aerospace Project, make it all the more imperative that Guyana be firmly united in its case to the international community on threats to its territorial sovereignty. CARICOM has historically supported Guyana's position in its territorial dispute with Venezuela. More recently, it had to resort to appropriate diplomatic language in reminding Suriname, also a CARICOM country, that the use of force was not consistent with the norms and practices to which member states of the community are expected to adhere. Acts of aggression by any member state of the community, or the wider Association of Caribbean States (ACS) to which Venezuela, Guyana and Suriname are numbered among 25 independent nations, can only result in very serious problems for both CARICOM and the ACS.  Follow the goings-on in Guyana
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