PNC leader calls for Guyanese solidarity
by Michelle Elphage
LEADER of the People's National Congress (PNC), Mr Desmond Hoyte is calling on all Guyanese to hold together on the issue of the Guyana/Venezuela border controversy. Addressing a press conference yesterday at his party's Congress Place, Sophia Headquarters, Hoyte said the PNC has always maintained that Venezuela has never proven its claim to two-thirds of Guyana and "we assert cannot so prove." "For us the integrity of the entire 216,000 square kilometres of Guyana is not in doubt, and we can upon all the people of Guyana to continuously so assert. The PNC is therefore perturbed by the recent sabre rattling on the part of the new Government of Venezuela with respect to the settlement of the controversy arising out of their contention that the Arbitral Award of 1899, October 3, which settled the boundary between our two countries is null and void," the PNC leader declared. "Under the Geneva Agreement our two countries have committed the issue to the good offices of the United Nations Secretary General and discussions have been, and continue to be, held between the Secretary General's representative and representatives of the two governments with a view to finding an amicable resolution." He said the Government should seek to unite all Guyanese on this issue. He indicated that the PNC is not adverse to giving assistance on the matter if it is approached. But Hoyte expressed concern that "despite calls from many enlightened citizens, the Government did nothing to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Award of the Arbitration Tribunal of 1899, October 3, which settled the boundaries between Guyana and Venezuela." "We call upon the Government to show greater trust in the loyalty and good sense of the Guyanese people. Let us have a full exposition of the administration's frontier policy and the ways in which it is proceeding to protect the rights of our citizens who live and work along our borders," Hoyte added. The PNC leader criticised the Government saying it "disbanded" the Foreign Ministry and relieved "experienced people" who were better equipped to deal with the border issue. Venezuela on Wednesday assured Guyana that reports indicating unusual movements of its troops near the border between the two countries, and other related activities pose no threat to this country's territorial integrity. However, Hoyte said Venezuela should have informed Guyana that it was intensifying its anti-drug drive on the country's border. "What good neighbours do...is to tell the neighbouring country to avoid an unfortunate situation," the PNC leader added.
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