While maintaining its support of the Guyana Defence Force, the case before the International Court of Justice and the position that the border dispute between Guyana and Venezuela has long been settled, the opposition People’s National Congress today assailed the Government over what it considers to be its poor handling of the increasing acts of aggression from Venezuela.

Opposition and PNC Reform Leader Aubrey Norton today said the Opposition is deeply concerned that the government has no plan to ensure Venezuela is kept at bay.

He said it is ridiculous that while the Venezuelans are seeking to hold an election purporting to have governors in Essequibo, the Guyana government is inviting the nation to a concert.

Mr. Norton said the Opposition has a number of proposals to the Government in previous debates in the parliament and in meetings with the President, and none of those proposals have been honoured.

He said the National Assembly previously passed a motion with clear things that should have been done in relation to the border issue, and the government failed to do them.

He said the Opposition cannot support a government that is inactive on the Guyana-Venezuela territorial controversy and seems to only come alive when Venezuela acts up.

“That is unacceptable. As the opposition, we have continuously given our support to the government but the government refuses to engage the opposition”, Norton said.

Mr Norton recalled that in his meeting with the president, the issue of the handing over of the parliamentary committee on foreign affairs to the opposition was raised but that was never done. He said while the Government continues to fail to see many of those things through, it is now leaning on the same opposition for support.

The Opposition Leader said there has been no serious meeting to even discuss a plan. .

He said unless the government is prepared to engage the opposition in a meaningful way, it cannot continue to cooperate with them.

Norton said the Opposition will maintain its support of the people of Guyana in the border controversy with Venezuela, but any future cooperation or assistance to the government on this issue will come only after the government engages and recognizes the role of the opposition in this country.

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