I enquired from a friend, my good friend, how Guyana voted recently at the United Nations. His response was terse: “It didn’t vote”.
It was a motion to place before the General Assembly for a debate the “fuel and food” blockade against Cuba.
At that sitting 136 countries supported the motion for a debate. Many did so because the blockade violates international law, is illegal and criminal. Others, on humanitarian grounds.
Guyana didn’t vote. I felt empty after I heard those three words.
Imagine, surgeries being performed in Cuba on ailing children in operating rooms lit only by torchlights!
Yet, Guyana didn’t vote to end a clear injustice, and to support a generous people now in need – the Cuban people who have sacrificed for Guyana. Ingratitude is a kind word.
Missing in Action
Guyana was Missing in Action (Mia). That no-vote at the United Nations bears the name of Guyana’s President – Mohamed Irfaan Ali (MIA). Three words, and a three-lettered acronym. It carries his stamp of approval!
That couldn’t happen under Burnham or Jagan, or even under Ramotar and Granger.
This could happen only in the third republic: the first under Burnham (authoritarian), the second initiated under Hoyte and sustained from Jagan through to Granger (democratic) and the third, under Ali (oligarchic).
Our independence was inviolable. That was demonstrated time and again by the other “Mia” (Mia Amor Mottley) in Barbados. The Right Honourable Mottley, Prime Minister of Barbados, stood up. She stood tall for Barbados and the Caribbean. She didn’t cringe; she didn’t crawl. She didn’t surrender.
Barbados said, “Heck, no! I am here!”
Barbados voted “yes”. Not against anyone, but for Cuba. For what is right, that is, the right of the Cuban people to have fuel and food.
So did Jamaica, all the Caribbean Saints – St. Vincent, St. Lucia, and St. Kitts – and Belize, Dominica and even crisis-torn Haiti! Our neighbour, Suriname, voted “YES”!
Where was Guyana? Missing in action! (MIA).
The Mind Boggles
Tiny Grenada, abstained.
I checked it out. Abstaining is when the voter is present in the meeting and officially declares a choice to neither support nor oppose the motion. Not voting is due to the voter either being absent, leaving the room or simply failing to cast a vote. This indicates indifference.
“Indifference”? Towards Cuba for maintaining our medical and health care system? For buying our rice, our timber, and training our doctors, engineers and agronomists?
As non-voters, Guyana was in bed with Venezuela!
The mind boggles!
Moses V. Nagamootoo
Former Prime Minister and First Vice-President
