LET SOBER JUDGEMENT PREVAIL

Jun 09, 2015 Features / Columnists, Peeping Tom

Guyana must not become excited by the Decree that was issued by the President of Venezuela recently. Guyana must not overreact like it did in response to the Leoni Decree issued in July of 1968 and which purported to give sovereignty of parts of Guyana’s maritime area to the Venezuelans.
Guyana has already acted disastrously in relation to this latest decree. While the government had denied that the withdrawal of landing rights to a Venezuela airline was a retaliatory move against the recent Decree, the Venezuelans are going to view it as such. They are going to accuse Guyana of bringing economic pressure on one of the airlines. They are going to be displeased that some of their nationals were left stranded for hours awaiting alternative flights. This is going to inflame public opinion in Venezuela and put Guyana in a bad light.
Whatever the reason for suspending the rights of the airline, the timing was poor. One of the things that nations have to avoid is taking precipitate action against the nationals of another country, especially if there is a problem between the two countries.
Guyana should not have taken any action that would have affected the nationals of Venezuela, more so at a time when the Guyana government believes that the Venezuelans are being belligerent. When two countries have their differences, each tries to win over the nationals of the other country before they win over the government. In the case of Guyana, we have not considered how the Venezuelan public will view what was done to those nationals of theirs who were stranded in Guyana.
Guyana has therefore started out on the wrong footing. It should issue an apology to those passengers who were affected by the recent action and offer each one of them an “all expenses paid” return trip to Guyana, along with their families. It does not matter that the actions may have been unrelated to the recent decree issued in Venezuela. Guyana has done a wrong thing to these passengers and it should seek to mend fences.
When the Hugo Chavez government had his problems with the Bush Administration he tried to woo the American people directly. He did not try to go after them. He made a distinction between the people and the government. Guyana should be doing the same. Guyana has no beef with the Venezuelan people. Whatever problems it may have is with the government of that country.
Guyana also has to be in a position to clarify just what this Decree means. What is amazing is that the public of Guyana only got wind of this Decree almost two weeks after it was issued. So was the Foreign Ministry advised early of this Decree by Guyana’s Embassy in Venezuela, or was it a case that they too were not aware of the Decree? If Guyana was aware of this Decree, what action was taken immediately upon receiving word of it clarify its authenticity and its implications for Guyana?
Guyana must not get hopping mad. That will only blind a rational response. Guyana must get hopping serious and try to ascertain the facts in this matter and then develop an appropriate response. Right now all and sundry including the local media are getting on their high horses, but very few of them may have even read the original decree or have an understanding of the coordinates mentioned in this Decree.
Forty-seven years ago, there was a similar Decree. That Decree was never withdrawn but it also did not mean that Guyana lost anything. Once you know what is yours, it cannot be easily taken away. Therefore Guyanese must not get too excited.
The government too must employ cool heads and not go on a wild military spending spree or take an alarmist stance on this matter.
The situation should be clarified and monitored. Let the heat of the moment pass and allow sober judgment to prevail.

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LET SOBER JUDGEMENT PREVAIL

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LET SOBER JUDGEMENT PREVAIL

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