Opposition, Parliamentary Committee yet to be briefed on shooting of soldiers-Hughes

Feb 24, 2025 News

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Kaieteur News- Leader of the Alliance for Change (AFC) Nigel Hughes has condemned the way that the Government of Guyana has handled the shooting of ranks of the Guyana Defense Force (GDF) by a Venezuelan criminal gang. He also said that the Opposition and the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Foreign Relations are yet to be briefed

The Guyana Police Force in a statement had listed the injured as: Second Lieutenant Ansel Murray, who suffered a gunshot wound to the right  of his head; Sergeant, Kevon Davis who was shot in the right foot and ankle; Corporal, Andrew Fraser, who sustained gunshot wounds in the left of his abdomen and shoulder; Corporal,  Kevin Henry, who was shot in the left arm and shoulder; Lance Corporal, Travis Yorrick, who was injured in the right thigh; and Private Ezron Samuel, who was shot in the right  of his abdomen.

The incident took place near Black Water Mouth in the Cuyuni River, while a GDF boat was en route from the Eteringbang GDF main base to the Makapa GDF Observation Post to deliver supplies. The GDF team was using a thirty-foot canoe powered by a 185-horsepower Yamaha engine. During the journey, the GDF boat was intercepted by two wooden boats carrying heavily armed, masked men. The assailants circled the GDF boat and opened fire, prompting the GDF ranks to return fire. The exchange resulted in the attackers retreating, but not before multiple GDF members sustained gunshot wounds.

Speaking at his party’s weekly press conference last Friday Hughes said that the incident was very disturbing as some of the six were injured more seriously than others.

“We would have expected that by now the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Foreign Relations would have been convened to brief at least our Members of Parliament on the incident, the circumstances surrounding the incident, so that all of us, Guyanese, can be onboard, particularly our parliamentary representatives, in relation to what happened there.”

He highlighted that there is also a Ministerial Task Force on the border and the AFC thought once again that this taskforce, as well as all parliamentary parties would have been briefed on exactly what occurred at the Guyana, Venezuela border.  He stressed that they should have been briefed on “what appeared to be a threat to our sovereignty, even though it is disguised as a singular incident. These are matters of grave national importance on which there is no difference between the political parties, both in and out of parliament in terms of the protection of our sovereignty.”

As such the AFC is calling for the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Foreign Relations to be immediately convened, as well as the Ministerial Task Force on the borders. “…all the parliamentary parties and perhaps non parliamentary parties, (should have been briefed) on the developments that took place on Monday the 17th. We are completely unaware of that, and at a minimum, the Leader of the Opposition should have been notified as an important stakeholder in regard to this,” he said.

Furthermore, Hughes highlighted that there are several border communities which are now quite exposed to the actions of the criminal element along the border. “Yet Guyanese are still to hear what measures are likely to be taken or would have already been taken to protect those vulnerable communities. As you know, most of those communities have probably a single police station with one police officer who is perhaps a civilian, and quite a few of those communities do not have even a police station. Given the fact that the report suggests that one, possibly two, members of the criminal gang have been killed, there is likely to be some sort of retaliatory action, and we want to ensure that all Guyanese civilians, particularly those living in border communities, are protected, and that we have afforded them the best possible protection,” he said.

One day after the incident Foreign Affairs Minister, Hugh Todd had summoned Carlos Perez, Ambassador of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela to Guyana to condemn and demand redress for the armed attack on the soldiers. In a press statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had said that while an investigation is in progress, preliminary indications are that the perpetrators are members of Venezuelan criminal gangs who operate with impunity on Venezuela’s side of the international border. Todd, the statement said told the Venezuela’s Ambassador that Guyana is outraged by the attack, and that it holds Venezuela responsible. He reminded the Ambassador that, under international law, Venezuela is responsible for any harm caused to Guyana or its nationals by persons acting from Venezuelan territory, including private individuals unaffiliated with the Venezuelan Government or Armed Forces.

The minister, the ministry’s statement said insisted that Venezuela comply with its international obligation not to allow its territory to be used to harm a neighbouring state and its duty to eliminate the presence of Venezuelan criminal gangs in the border region, and to prevent any future attacks on Guyana. Noting that Venezuela maintains a significant military presence in the region, despite the absence of a security threat from Guyana, the Minister insisted that Venezuela deploy these assets against the criminal gangs within its territory that constitute a threat to both States. Minister Todd further expressed his concern about the Ambassador’s failure to denounce yesterday’s incident, and Venezuela’s failure, thus far, to take any action to pursue, apprehend or bring to justice the perpetrators. “Inaction” he warned “is complicity.

(Opposition, Parliamentary Committee yet to be briefed on shooting of soldiers-Hughes)

 

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• AFC, Guyana, Nigel Huges, shooting, Venezuela

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