Caribbean News
Referendum Wrong says President of Guyana as he speaks globally on row with Venezuela over Oil Rich land
Deandrea Hamilton and Rashaed Esson
Editorial Staff
#Guyana, December 10, 2023 – More tension is brewing between Guyana and Venezuela in an ongoing conflict over territory which world maps say belongs to Guyana; and a recent referendum has drawn suspicion and criticism for the Venezuelan president for asking questions which were off-base.
It has been reported that 95% of those who voted have given the Venezuelan government a clear directive to claim ownership of Essequibo, the region in dispute. That referendum was held on Sunday December 3, and was called by the Venezuelan Government, led by President Nicolás Maduro.
Venezuela is now boldly moving to claim sovereignty over Essequibo which is rich in oil and minerals. Guyana however maintains, unequivocally, that the land has long been theirs.
According to reports, during the voting process for the five-question referendum, only a few voters could be seen at the centres; however, the National Electoral Council claims it counted more than 10.5 million votes.
Venezuela has been vocal for years, arguing that the territory was stolen when the border was drawn more than a
century ago. But those looking on say the claims are unfounded.
Dr. Irfaan Ali, President of Guyana responded to the referendum during a BBC News interview.
“Our response has always been one that respects international law, one that respects the dignity of people, one that leads to the continuation of peace within this region.”
He continued to express that this is the reason why Guyana went to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for provisional measures, regarding the referendum.
Ali added that this appeal to the ICJ is not to stop the referendum, as it is Venezuela’s “business.”
The Prime Minister explained that seeking out the ICJ is to have provisional measures against two questions.
“One, that will allow Venezuela to annex Essequibo; and two to allow them to establish their state, and on both these questions the ICJ made it clear that Venezuela is not to act upon the outcome of these two questions or upon the outcome of the referendum, and that Venezuela must respect the status quo as it exists, today in Guyana and that is, Essequibo belongs to Guyana.”
The question in motion now as pointed out during the interview is will Venezuela respect the ICJ’s stance and to this Ali expressed that he believes Venezuela has a responsibility to honour the order and respect the 1899 award.
“In the 1899 award, the boundaries of Guyana and Venezuela were fully settled, and that settlement was jointly agreed to by Venezuela and Guyana,” he maintained.
“Venezuela went on to enact the boundaries within the legal system,” he added.
Despite this reality, Ali admits being concerned that Venezuela may act in a reckless manner, which can lead to more displacement of the already struggling Venezuelan people, and create added regional pressure on issues such as migration.
Ali has also been working to gain support; regional bodies such as CARICOM, the Commonwealth and the Organization of American States have issued very strong statements calling on Venezuela to respect the rule of law as well as the order of the ICJ.
By Deandrea Hamilton | Magnetic Media
October 14, 2025 – It’s being called political theatre — but for citizens, constitutional watchdogs, and democracy advocates across the Caribbean, it feels far more serious. Within a single week, two national parliaments — in Trinidad and Tobago and St. Kitts and Nevis — descended into turmoil as opposition members stormed out in protest, accusing their Speakers of bias, overreach, and abuse of parliamentary procedure.
For observers, the walkouts signal a deeper problem: erosion of trust in the very institutions meant to safeguard democracy. When Speakers are viewed as political enforcers instead of neutral referees, parliaments stop functioning as chambers of debate and start performing as stages for power and spectacle — with citizens left wondering who, if anyone, is still accountable.
October 6: St. Kitts Parliament Erupts
The first walkout erupted in Basseterre on October 6, 2025, when Dr. Timothy Harris, former Prime Minister and now Opposition Leader,
led his team out of the St. Kitts and Nevis National Assembly in a protest that stunned the chamber.
The flashpoint came as the Speaker moved to approve more than three years’ worth of unratified parliamentary minutes in one sitting — covering 27 meetings and three national budgets — without individual review or debate.
Dr. Harris called the move “a flagrant breach of the Constitution and parliamentary tradition,” warning that the practice undermines transparency and accountability. “No serious parliament can go years without approving a single set of minutes,” he said after exiting the chamber.
The Speaker defended the decision as administrative housekeeping, but critics were unconvinced, branding the move a “world record disgrace.” The opposition’s walkout triggered renewed calls for the Speaker’s resignation and sparked a wider public discussion about record-keeping, accountability, and respect for parliamentary norms in St. Kitts and Nevis.
October 10: Trinidad Opposition Follows Suit
Four days later, on October 10, 2025, the Opposition United National Congress (UNC) in Trinidad and Tobago staged its own walkout from the House of Representatives in Port of Spain.
The UNC accused the Speaker of partisan bias, claiming she had repeatedly blocked urgent questions, ignored points of order, and allowed government members to breach standing orders without consequence.
“The Speaker has failed in her duty to act impartially,” the Opposition declared in a statement. “Parliament is not the property of any political party or Presiding Officer.”
The dramatic exit was seen as a culmination of months of rising tension and frustration, with opposition MPs arguing that parliamentary rules were being selectively applied to silence dissenting voices.
Political analyst Dr. Marcia Ferdinand described the twin walkouts as “a warning sign that parliamentary democracy in the Caribbean is teetering on the edge of performative politics.”
“When chairs become political shields rather than constitutional referees,” she said, “democracy becomes theatre, not governance.”
A Pattern Emerging
While St. Kitts and Trinidad are very different political environments, both incidents point to the same regional fault line: the perception that Speakers — the guardians of parliamentary order — are no longer impartial.
In Westminster-style systems like those across the Caribbean, the Speaker’s authority depends not on power but on public confidence in fairness. Once that credibility erodes, parliamentary control collapses into confrontation.
Governance experts say the implications are serious: eroded trust between government and opposition, declining public confidence in state institutions, and growing voter cynicism that “rules” are flexible tools of political advantage.
Why It Matters
Parliamentary walkouts are not new in the Caribbean, but what makes these recent events different is their frequency and intensity — and
the regional echo they’ve created. Social media has amplified images of lawmakers storming out, with citizens from Barbados to Belize questioning whether the same erosion of decorum could be happening in their own legislatures.
Analysts warn that if this perception takes hold, it risks diminishing the moral authority of parliamentary democracy itself.
“Once opposition MPs believe the rules are rigged, and once citizens believe Parliament is just performance,” said one Caribbean governance researcher, “you’ve lost the most valuable currency in democracy — trust.”
Restoring Balance
Political reformers across the region are calling for tighter Standing Order enforcement, independent parliamentary service commissions, and training to strengthen Speaker neutrality. Civil society leaders say the public must also play its part by demanding transparency and refusing to normalize partisan manipulation of parliamentary procedure.
Whether these twin walkouts become catalysts for reform — or simply another episode of Caribbean political theatre — will depend on what happens next inside those chambers.
For now, democracy watchers agree on one thing: when opposition leaders feel the only way to be heard is to walk out, the entire democratic house — not just its Speaker — is in danger of collapse.
Angle by Deandrea Hamilton. Built with ChatGPT (AI). Magnetic Media — CAPTURING LIFE.
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