President David Granger has issued a call on the servicemen of the country to always be watchful and on their guard.

He made the comments on Monday while attending a Guyana Defence Force Christmas social event at Eteringbang, near to the Venezuelan border.

Mr. Granger told the soldiers stationed at the border location to always endeavour, through their actions and encounters, to let the world know that the Guyana/ Venezuela Border controversy was settled 117 years ago and that they are defending sovereign territory.

Venezuela has been making fresh claims to Guyana’s territory and the Government of Guyana has been pushing back, relying on the international community for support.

The President has been pushing for a full and final settlement in the Border controversy.  The government is now waiting on the United Nations to define a way forward.

“This Cuyuni River is important to us. It is the definition of our sovereignty and your duty as soldiers and policemen is to draw the line so that the world would know where Venezuela stops and where Guyana begins. This has been one of the most painful experiences of our history. Even as we celebrate our 50^thanniversary of Independence we have had to put up with 50 years of provocation”, he told the troops.

He added that the Venezuelans have been preventing investors from coming to Guyana and it has not been easy.

According to the President, “I tell my colleagues in the other countries that it is like a bone is stuck in our throat, it is causing us pain, it is preventing us from developing this country to benefit the Guyanese people”.

President Granger reminded that the matter had been settled 117 years ago with the signing of the Geneva Agreement, and he noted too that Venezuela at that time, had been awarded land space, which had originally been demarcated as part of British Guiana, yet it continues to claim even larger territory to this day.

“We can live in peace. Guyana and Venezuela can live in peace. We live in peace with Brazil and we can live in peace with Venezuela but people across the border must understand that this territory is ours. We cannot stop being vigilant because this land belongs not only to us because we are just the trustees. We have to give [this land to] our children and grandchildren. You [soldiers, policemen and civilians] are the eyes and ears at this western point of Guyana to keep us informed, to let us know if there is any breach of our territorial integrity. All of them must understand and respect our territorial integrity,” he said.

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