Looming storm on our Western Frontier: Guyana cannot face crisis in silence

Dec 03, 2025 Letters

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Dear Editor,

A growing crisis, a silent state

“Amid escalating regional tensions—marked by a significant US military presence in the Caribbean Sea and looming conflict with Venezuela—the contrast between the leadership of Guyana’s President Irfaan Ali and the United States’ President Donald Trump in managing the crisis could not be more stark. While President Trump has demonstrated a proactive and decisive response to threats, including the recent tragic shooting of two National Guard members, by implementing strict, national security-focused immigration measures, closing Venezuelan airspace in preparation for the inevitable.”

“In contrast, President Ali’s government in Guyana has been characterised by a troubling silence and perceived complacency. Despite the continuous, unchecked influx of over 100,000 Venezuelan migrants in recent years, and a recent, violent incident—the bombing of a gas station by a migrant resulting in a child’s death—the Guyanese government has failed to communicate clear security policies, close porous borders, or take visible action, leaving its citizens to question whether their safety and national security are truly the administration’s priority. This letter calls on policymakers to learn from the proactive measures being taken abroad and immediately prioritize border security and citizen protection over what appears to be a disengaged, reactive governance approach at a critical moment in the nation’s history.”

Editor, Guyana now faces an explosive mix of migrant flows, border tension, and proven terrorist activity, while its leaders remain disturbingly silent. The country is being quietly pulled toward the edge of an avoidable national emergency. This is a moment for urgent clarity and decisive action, not comforting platitudes and official silence.

Reports of increasing migrant arrivals from Venezuela tell a grim story: people are already fleeing what they believe to be an inevitable storm, and Guyana is the first piece of dry land they can reach. Communities along the frontier are straining under the weight of a migrant crisis that was already overwhelming our limited services, long before this latest escalation. Yet, in the face of this mounting pressure, the government has failed to address the nation with clear, detailed information or a visible plan. Instead, we are treated to celebratory satire from the President.

This silence is not neutral. It deepens fear, feeds rumour, and undermines public trust at the very moment when unity, calm, and confidence in leadership are most needed. We are instead treated to celebratory satire, fancy parties and luncheons from the government.

Security fears after terrorist attack

The recent terrorist attack carried out by Venezuelan nationals inside Guyana has fundamentally changed how citizens view this crisis. People are not simply worried about abstract border lines; they are worried about who and what is coming across those borders under cover of chaos. The combination of a fast-growing migrant inflow and proven security threats creates a combustible situation that demands frank, urgent communication from those in charge.

Instead, citizens are forced to speculate: Are our borders being properly monitored? Are intelligence and law enforcement agencies resourced and coordinated to detect and neutralize threats? Are communities being briefed on what to watch for, and how to respond?

Demand for transparency and readiness

This is not a time for vague assurances, photo opportunities, or diplomatic platitudes. Guyanese citizens have a right to specific answers to specific questions:

• What contingency plans exist for a sudden surge in refugees and migrants?
• What measures are in place to screen entrants and protect communities from criminal and terrorist infiltration?
• How will essential services, food supplies, fuel, and medical care be secured if airspace or trade routes are disrupted?
• What diplomatic and defense arrangements are being pursued with regional and international partners?

If these plans exist, they must be shared in meaningful outline with the public. If they do not exist, the country has a right to know that too—and to demand that such plans be urgently developed and debated.

A call to citizens and civil society

Guyana cannot afford passive acceptance of official silence. Citizens, civil society, the media, professional bodies, and faith leaders must insist on briefings, data, and clear protocols. This is not partisan politics; it is about national survival, human dignity, and basic accountability. The storm gathering to our west may not be of Guyana’s making, but how prepared we are—and how honestly our leaders deal with us—will determine whether we weather it with resilience or stumble through chaos and regret.

Sincerely,
Hemdutt Kumar

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• Donald Trump, Hemdutt Kumar, Letters, Looming, storm, terrorist attack, Western Frontier

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