A day meant to reaffirm national unity on the defence of Guyana’s territorial integrity took a turn on Friday when Opposition Leader Aubrey Norton and his APNU+AFC Parliamentarians staged a walkout during the National Assembly’s debate on the sovereignty motion.
While Norton was the only member from the APNU+AFC to condemn Venezuela’s illegal claim to the Essequibo region, he criticised the government for not allowing the opposition a more substantial role in shaping the motion. His remarks, followed by the exit of the opposition, drew criticism from top government officials.
In an invited comment to the News Room Friday night, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Hugh Todd, described the opposition’s actions as “immature” and “not in the best interest of Guyana.”
“We submitted the motion more than a week in advance to the opposition for their response,” Todd explained. “We did not hear back from them. Today, they presented a group of speakers, and yet the Leader of the Opposition gave a lukewarm presentation and then walked out. That is deeply disappointing.”
Todd went further, expressing concern about the precedent Norton had set.
“He has created history by becoming the first Leader of a major political party to not fully support a motion reaffirming Guyana’s sovereignty. That’s unprecedented.”
The motion comes amid heightened tensions with Venezuela, which has pressed ahead with so-called elections for Guyana’s sovereign Essequibo region — a move widely condemned as illegitimate. Todd reminded that the matter is already before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and falls squarely within the scope of the 1966 Geneva Agreement.
“We inherited the Geneva Agreement when we took office in 1992 and have done everything necessary to defend our territory. This is a time for unity, not theatrics,” the Foreign Minister said.
Taking aim at Norton’s political maturity, Todd stated, “It begs the question of whether the Opposition Leader is ready for the big league. Right now, he’s operating in the little league. He needed to recognise the necessity of a bipartisan approach.”
Echoing those sentiments, Prime Minister Mark Phillips and Opposition MP Dr. Asha Kissoon also condemned the walkout, calling it a “sad day for the opposition.”
Despite the walkout, the motion was successfully passed in the National Assembly — a moment Todd described as a “good day for Guyana.”
“We are before the International Court of Justice with a strong legal team, capable ambassadors, and firm representation in Georgetown. We also have the support of CARICOM, the OAS, the Commonwealth, the EU, and our traditional partners,” Todd noted.
“It’s very disappointing that the Opposition Leader, who is expected to be au fait with the issue, would take such a position. It suggests he does not have the best interest of Guyana at heart.”
With the motion passed, the government says it will continue to press forward in defence of the country’s territorial sovereignty, while ensuring citizens remain informed and protected.
“Venezuela’s claim is without merit,” Todd added. “This is a time for maturity — not politicisation — especially on a matter as critical as sovereignty.”
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