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‘We must plan for possible hostilities as U.S. heats up row with Venezuela’- APNU
…says Govt. hoping to outsource defence
(Kaieteur News) – As the United States (US) government takes aim at Venezuela to tackle a string of illicit activities, it is incumbent on the Government of Guyana (GoG) to plan for any outcome that can involve hostility.
This is according to the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) Member of Parliament (MP), Terrence Campbell. During a press conference on Friday, the businessman in an invited comment said that the party is concerned about any threat to the region, as a zone of peace, and the risks to Guyana should tensions escalate and the situation becomes more aggressive.
Opposition MP, Terrence Campbell
Already, US war officials have held talks with the GoG as the President Donald Trump-led government heightens its presence in the region in a move to tackle illegal movement of drugs from the sanctioned state.
In recent weeks, the US conducted several military strikes on vessels off the coast of Venezuela, killing close to 100 already. Only this week the United States military said it killed four people in its latest attack on a vessel in the eastern Pacific Ocean.
Government officials in Guyana have cited support for the actions by the US which it says is aimed at crumbling a criminal empire.
As a small nation, Guyana is caught in the midst of the battle between the two mega countries, with far greater resources. To this end, APNU stressed the need for Guyana to ensure it has a contingency plan in place.
“We are concerned about any threats to the region, as a zone of peace and we are concerned about the risks to Guyana if there are to be hostilities. In our statement today we highlighted the fact that we have heard nothing really from the government about contingency planning if there will be hostilities,” Campbell noted.
He added, “Those contingency planning relate to our defence posture and our ability to even defend ourselves and also, the crisis that may be caused on our border with migrants pouring over. Already its an issue here in Guyana that has not been dealt with and the reality is that we must plan as though hostilities could take place tomorrow.”
Be that as it may, APNU argued that the government has failed to outline a policy on migration and strategy for defence. The party pointed out that President Irfaan Ali in his recent address to the nation referenced a migration policy but offered no details on enforcement, regularization, labour market impacts, or contingency planning in the context of regional instability. “There was also no credible defence strategy, implicitly suggesting continued reliance on external actors…nothing on details for his new Migration Policy, a policy long overdue and no contingency planning for escalation of hostilities in the region or for the defence of Guyana,” APNU argued.
The party therefore concluded that this is a clear signal that government is hopeful that Guyana’s defence will be outsourced.
Campbell reasoned, “Nobody wants this or must think this can happen but it would be prudent governance from the government of Guyana to be planning as though something could happen tomorrow and we are seeing none of this.”
He stressed that he has not seen a shred of evidence that points to planning for a possible mass movement of migrants across the border. While he acknowledged that these details would not be publicized, the MP pointed to the importance of these plans being shared in the National Assembly.
Campbell expressed further discontent that the Head of State has not summoned the Opposition faction of the National Assembly on the recent developments to discuss plans.
He was keen to note, “These are not issues that the government should take it on themselves alone to address and to plan.” According to him, this subject requires not only the support of one party, but all of Guyana, including all political groups.
Beyond a Presidential invitation, Campbell was asked whether the Opposition wrote to the Head of State seeking to engage on the subject. As such, he explained, “That issue is being considered by our foreign policy team at the moment.”
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