People living in the Falkland Islands are voting in a referendum on their political status. According to the Falklands legislative assembly, the vote is intended to affirm islanders’ desire to remain a self-governing territory of the United Kingdom and to reject claims of ownership by Argentina.
People living in the Falkland Islands are voting in a referendum on their political status. According to the Falklands legislative assembly, the vote is intended to affirm islanders’ desire to remain a self-governing territory of the United Kingdom and to reject claims of ownership by Argentina.
This process could have very serious implications in at least two territorial disputes and the outcome could lead to further decay in security for all concerned.
In the Israeli Palestinian dispute, Israel is relentlessly building settlements in what has historically been Palestinian lands, should there be a referendum when the Israeli population exceeds that of the Palestinians who are allowed to vote, then the result is clear, the territory will be declared to be under Jewish rule.
The same process is in place in much of the Essequibo region, albeit at a slower pace. Many Venezuelans and Brazilians are moving to the region, Spanish is become more widespread, and if at some time in the future there is further deterioration of the relationship between the government and the opposition, and the socio-economic prospects for Guyana continue to look grim, the population of the Essequibo region could see a prosperous Venezuela as a better proposition. Forced by external forces to hold a referendum, Guyana might have to kiss the Essequibo region goodbye.
It would be a benefit to all concerned to face the future head-on, pay serious attention to Guyana’s future for the next 50 years and map out a plan to ensure sovereignty of its current borders. Further, steps should be taken now to encourage the huge number of Guyanese who have migrated in the last 30 years, to return to Guyana with both their skills and pension funds. There is a growing demographic of people who are ready to retire from the relentless pace that is a hallmark of living in “first world” countries, but who could and would be willing to bring education, experience and talent to bear in their “home” countries – many from Guyana are in that number. Returning Guyanese could be the impetus for offspring and other family and friends to visit thereby injecting more foreign currency into Guyana’s economy. What is needed is an infrastructure for returnees to have confidence in, and an economy to which they can contribute their talents.
Tourism in the current form might not be the key to Guyana’s success but remigration and the associated travel by foreign relatives might be the catalyst for growth.
