Be warned PPP! Discipline Jagdeo before he takes you down with him

Nov 07, 2023 Letters

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Dear Editor,

I write to express my abhorrence in relation to a post circulating on social media, and which has been the leading story on HGP Nightly News, Thursday’s (2023-11-02) edition.

This relates to a Venezuelan National, sitting in a chair, and evidently, reading from a prepared script, probably a teleprompter, extolling the virtues of many times discredited Vice President and the PPP in addressing the migrants’ plight. Bharrat Jagdeo and the PPP are engaging in a very dangerous ploy that can have far-reaching consequences for this nation and a large segment of its population.

Before I delve into the reason for my absolute disgust, please permit me to share some historical facts. In 1985 as a young Army Officer, I was based at Mabaruma. During my stay, a resident of White Water, an Amerindian community not far from the Venezuelan border, came to the army barracks and reported that there were some war boats at the Venezuelan Outpost at a place called Wausa on the Venezuelan side of the Amakura River that borders the two countries at that point.

I immediately sent a situation report to my Head Office at Camp Jaguarundi, located at that time, on the Linden Soesdyke Highway.

Within minutes, a response was sent to embark on a reconnaissance patrol immediately, one that I led. We went to White Water, trekked through the jungle for a short while until we reached the Korisaima Creek. This creek flowed into the Amakura River. We paddled, with a guide of course, until we reached the mouth of the creek. We did not see any military craft at Wausa.

On inquiring, we learned that the boats were there about a month prior. We were previously made to believe by the reporting resident, that the presence of the boats was recent.

This seemingly fruitless mission etched one lesson in my mind: residents felt an obligation to report any activity of Venezuelans on our borders. That was the strength of their patriotism.

I had another incident when, on a Sunday midday, I received a phone call (yes, Mabaruma had landlines in those days) from a resident that there were two Venezuelan soldiers in the Township area (Mabaruma was divided into Township, Settlement and Jungle areas at that time).

Again, without delay, I assembled a small party of troops and went to the Township area where we met the two soldiers, dressed in uniform, at the Mabaruma Hospital. One was a born Guyanese while the other was a Venezuelan. The Guyanese had come to visit his terminally ill mother at the hospital.

There I advised him to go and change into civilian clothing to continue his visit, which he and his colleague did. They left the next day for Venezuela. This reinforced my lesson of the Guyanese people’s commitment to safeguarding our territorial integrity. These residents were not soldiers; they were just ordinary civilian folks.

The last incident I want to highlight was in 1989 while I was based at Eteringbang. There was a degree of cordiality between the soldiers on both shores even though the ‘soldiers’ on the Venezuelan side were not full-fledged soldiers. They were from the National Guard, which was the equivalent of our Peoples’ Militia.

I dare say, they were afraid of us because the propaganda and wisdom of by then Late President Burnham, which was continued by President Hoyte, made the Venezuelans believe that we were Cubans, stationed on the borders.

An important point must be made here. Whenever, we went across the border, which we sometimes did, contrary to our orders, we were told in no uncertain terms that we had to leave the country before six pm. We always visited Venezuela disguised as dredge workers since there were many dredges in the area at that time. We dared not go dressed as soldiers.

On arriving in Venezuela, at what was called St. Martin at the time, there was a settlement whose inhabitants were Guyanese supporters of the PPP. They were living at St. Martin under refugee status. The excuse? They were fleeing persecution by the PNC.

The condition of their refugee status included, but not limited to, being confined to that area alone. If they wanted to visit anywhere else, they had to be given written permission from the military commander of the area. That written permission had to be presented on demand by any member of the Venezuelan military or Para-military. They were not allowed to own any property. The houses that they were living in were State-owned. They could not hold any permanent jobs; and most humiliatingly was the fact that they had to denounce their country. They were being constantly monitored by the Venezuelan military.

These so-called refugees lived under the shadow or a huge map on a billboard showing the Essequibo County as being part of Venezuela under the caption “Zona de Reclamacion.”

So, coming back to my disgust, Editor: the PPP has a long history of undermining our territorial integrity even when brave ordinary citizens were committed to ensuring that our 83,000 square miles remain intact.

They have, over the years, demonstrated gross acts of unpatriotic behaviour. This one however, takes the cake and borders on treason and inciting racial hostilities.

Please allow me, Editor, to quote from the interpreted caption as shown on the video recording in question: “…The Vice-President made some super important statements for the Venezuelan community. His Honor Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo Vice President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana assures on behalf of the progressive party for the people that they’re not supporting any type of hate campaign of discrimination or xenophobia as APNU does…”

Editor, this is crass and the Leadership of the APNU should not take this lying down. It is no secret that the majority of APNU supporters are Blacks. This can have the reverse reaction of xenophobia of the blacks by the Venezuelans, the exact result that Jagdeo desires.

Jagdeo is a hopeless racist and is egging foreigners to join his nefarious scheme. I want to warn him that he is engaging in a dangerous game that may consume all of us.

As far as I am aware, every Venezuelan believes that Essequibo is theirs. They believe they have a right to it. I am also aware that not every Venezuelan is coming here for humanitarian reasons. There are trained personnel among them as well. So, when the incursions start in earnest, there will be operatives behind enemy lines.

Maduro has stated his intentions. After the Referendum on December 3^rd and the Venezuelan citizens give him the permission to annexe Essequibo, which they will definitely do, the ball will start to roll in earnest.

Doesn’t our esteemed Brigadier Prime Minister (retired) know that? Has he not advised his bosses of the implications? Or are they gloating at the prospects of distributing identification cards to these migrants to steal the next Elections? This will be high treason which includes aiding and abetting the enemy and giving comfort to the enemy.

BE WARNED PPP! Discipline Jagdeo before he takes you down with him.

Finally, now is an opportune time for the One Guyana crowd to defend our Guyana. There was much talk recently of balancing the Army. Now is the time for that to become a reality.

Yours Patriotic,

Carl A. Parker

Pensioner

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• Carl A. Parker, HGP Nightly News, Jagdeo, Mabaruma, pensioner

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