Reiterating support for lobbying Washington

Mar 01, 2026 Letters

Dear Editor,

I reply to Hemdutt Kumar’s retort (Feb 24) of my missive endorsing lobbying of USA for geo-security. Kumar characterises the lobbying fee (that he says is in excess of US$1 M) paid by the government as a “subscription (fee) for our sovereignty (survival), a luxury tax to Americans”. And he describes my endorsement of lobbying Washington as “a colonial mindset”, tying it to “antiquated nostalgia of the cold war era”.

He says the geopolitical landscape of 2026 bears no resemblance to the cold war era (that ended with the dissolution of USSR following the collapse of communism) and that there is no need to pay lobbyists to protest Guyana because America will defend Guyana for free to access the oil. He is naïve! Clearly, Kumar does not understand lobbying. USA is protecting its interests, not Guyana’s interests. To protect Guyana’s interests, there is a “transactional fee”.

Kumar describes my kind of thinking on lobbying as “a surrender of our sovereignty” and that “Guyana must be respected for economic output, not for paying lobbyists”. The lesson: the left was not willing to pay American lobbyists or hitch our wagon to Washington to secure democracy in Guyana between 1964 and 1992; as a result, a democratically elected government was ousted and we suffered 26 years of dictatorship. And Kumar is now saying we don’t need lobbyists to protect our democracy or our interests.

In a real world, a global system of equal sovereign nations, Kumar’s theory is applicable. But in a practical world, such idealism does not exist. In theory under the UN system, all nations are equal, but in reality, hardly any two nations are equal. Russia, USA, China, India, etc. may be equals. Certainly, not Guyana and USA. Interests come first! Trump also said “America First”! Kumar should read the works of Henry Kissinger, Hans Morgenthau, and other realist theorists, mandatory reading for students of political science or international relations. Recent cases of what happened in Venezuela and the use of tariffs should awake Kumar about international political realism. Also, look at what is happening to Iran! Nicaragua, and Cuba may be next. The cold war between USA and USSR may be over. But there is a new cold war between USA and China (because of the latter’s aggressive presence in Latin America and elsewhere). Guyana must deepen ties with Washington or face the consequences. As a result of our closes ties to Washington, a policy I have advocated since the commence of my tertiary education in 1977, President Irfaan has been invited to the private meeting of the President of USA for March 7; T&T’s PM Kamla has also been invited to that meeting to discuss economic and security interests. All other CARICOM nations have been blanked because of their criticism of USA and President Trump. Irfaan and Kamla are on the right political track.

Kumar says tying our survival to America is an insult to the intelligence of modern Guyanese citizenship. The left made the same argument during the 1960s thru 1992 when I (and colleagues combatting the Guyana dictatorship) proposed lobbying Washington doe assistance. As a result, we suffered authoritarian rule 1968-92; politicians failed to heed warning that came from realists like me. Kumar wants us to repeat the same blunder of 1960s-1992.

Washington has determined our fate since 1953 whether we like it or not. The illustrations are many: 1953 toppling of PPP government, the racial violence and civil war of 1961-64, the fiddled constitution and toppling of PPP in December 1964, restoration of democracy in 1992, the outcomes of elections of 2015 and 2020, and more. If we don’t learn those lessons, we will keep repeating them. Washington is critical to our survival and for the existence of democracy in Guyana.

Several powerful nations, like France, India, Brazil, China, etc. are paying America lobbyists for varied reasons. We must be prepared to pay for consolidation of democracy and our survival against territorial threats. Jagdeo and Irfaan are right in hiring lobbyists. I support lobbying for our national interests and survival, not partisan domestic politics. And the costs should be negotiable that meets our interests.

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