Former British High Commissioner to Guyana, Greg Quinn, has raised questions and concern over President Irfaan Ali’s meeting with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on the border controversy last December in St. Vincent, expressing the view that the meeting sent a wrong message.

In a lengthy opinion piece in today’s Stabroek News, the career British Diplomat said Guyana must not trust Maduro, while describing Venezuela as a “troublesome” neighbour for over a century.

Mr. Quinn said the border controversy was heating up at the time because the Venezuelan President was trying to divert attention from domestic issues that he was facing in his country.

On the Argyle meeting between Presidents Ali and Maduro, Quinn argues that that meeting was not in Guyana’s interest.

In fact, he said mere days after the signing of the Argyle Declaration, Venezuela continued with its intimidation tactics towards Guyana, which was an indication of the lack of respect for the agreement on the part of Venezuela.

“History shows that appeasement doesn’t work. Personally, I believe that sitting down and talking to Maduro about something which was clearly settled in 1899 suggest there is something to discuss—there isn’t period. Especially if a process is ongoing at the ICJ,” the former British Envoy wrote.

According to Mr. Quinn, Guyana should not take the border controversy lightly and must align itself with strategic partners that have Guyana’s best interest at heart.

“Guyana therefore has to build a coalition of those who will support it, both regionally and more broadly. The immediate problem is the CARICOM flakiness on this—caused by the ideological beliefs and economic needs of some Member states. Maybe it is time for Guyana to consider its on Petrocaribe ( A Venezuelan government scheme to provide cheap oil to friendly countries). More broadly the Commonwealth is consistently clear in its support for Guyana,” Quinn stated.

The British official, who served as High Commissioner to Guyana for six years, said he doubts that Guyana can rely on some of the countries that it considers as its partners. He noted that India for example has been consistently quiet on the issue, while China has a kept a safe distance from the issue—and Russia appears to be in full support of Venezuela. 

“Guyana needs to stand firm and ensure those who support it are clear in that support. It should give no sustenance to Venezuela by continuing fruitless discussions over things which are non-negotiable. It should be clear to those who support Venezuela that it cannot be business as usual. Such support will be noted and considered in broader relations. The time to try to appease Venezuela has long passed,” Quinn wrote.

He noted that since the Argyle Declaration, Venezuela has continued with its claims of Guyana’s territory and its threats against Guyana, adding that Venezuela even went ahead with a “sham” referendum to declare Guyana’s Essequibo as a new Venezuelan state.

Guyana currently has Venezuela before the International Court of Justice over the border controversy, which was settled since 1899.

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