Guyana focused on case before ICJ amidst Venezuela’s aggression on border claims - Carl Greenidge

Guyana focused on case before ICJ amidst Venezuela’s aggression on border claims – Carl Greenidge

Nov 08, 2023 Court Stories, Features / Columnists, News

Kaieteur News – Guyana’s Advisor on borders and Agent in the Venezuela border case at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), Carl Greenidge has assured that the nation’s team remains focused on obtaining a final, binding judgment from the court despite Venezuela’s use of aggression to distract citizens.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the special sitting of the National Assembly to discuss the Guyana-Venezuela border controversy on Monday, Greenidge said the Guyana Government has no intention of abandoning the legal process. Greenidge also gave some insight into the Guyana’s move for the ICJ to hand down provisional measures intended to safeguard the country’s territorial integrity ahead of Venezuela’s national referendum on the issue planned for December 2. The advisor on borders made it clear that the intention of the filing is for the ICJ to deal specifically with three of the five questions proposed for the Referendum.

“The court is being asked not so much to stop them having a referendum but to ensure they know, and to ensure that the referendum doesn’t have provisions which give the Venezuelan public, the mistaken belief that they have the right to decide on other citizens’ fate, citizens outside of the borders of Venezuela, in defiance of world opinion, in defiance of world practice, and in defiance of the obligations that Venezuela as a signatory to an agreement that still exist…”

Guyana’s Agent in the Venezuela border case at the ICJ, Carl Greenidge

According to Greenidge, the referendum itself is problematic because it contains clauses that are in flagrant violation of international law. He noted: “As regards the referendum itself, the point is in normal circumstances one couldn’t give a hoot what another country decides to do with regards to a referendum. But a referendum is a little bit like the exercise of freedom. Your right to do and say things and if those rights affect me.”

Greenidge said nonetheless, that the referendum is just one of the acts of threats and aggression towards Guyana, as he alluded to the build-up of Venezuelan military troops near Guyana’s borders. “The referendum, as is usual with these things, is part of a scenario. In other words, maybe if it was the referendum alone it would be bad enough. But if you look at what has been happening over the past few months, you will find the referendum is one of many things that we are concerned about,” the Agent explained.

“And included amongst those things are the arrangements being made on the Venezuelan side, along with very hostile language, for the movement of troops on our borders. Actions which affect the stability and also the wellbeing of Guyanese, especially those in the area bordering Venezuela, in the North West, North East in particular. And that’s one part of the battle.”

Last month, the Venezuelan National Electoral Council published a list of five questions it plans to put before the Venezuelan people in a referendum set for December 3, 2023. One question (#5) proposes the creation of Venezuelan State of Guyana Essequibo and an accelerated plan for giving Venezuelan citizenship and identity cards to the Guyanese population.

On November 14 the ICJ will hold public hearings in the Guyana v Venezuela Case to deal specifically with the request from Guyana for provisional measures intended to safeguard the country’s territorial integrity ahead of the World Court hearing and determining the substantive case in relation to the 1899 Arbitral Award that settled the boundaries between Guyana and Venezuela.