International condemnation greeted Venezuela’s statement of 19 September rejecting the “illegal bidding” for oil blocks carried out by the Government of Guyana. The statement claims that Guyana does not have sovereign rights over the maritime areas in international law and demarcation must be carried out in agreement with Venezuela. The statement goes on to warn […]

On 7 June 2022 Venezuela submitted to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) a SECOND preliminary objection based, on this occasion, on the argument that the United Kingdom is an indispensable third party, without the consent of which the Court cannot adjudicate upon the dispute.

Although Venezuela’s official position is that it is not participating in the case before the ICJ relating to the controversy arising from the claim that the Arbitral Award of 3 October 1899 is null and void, it seeks every opportunity to intervene. Venezuela now makes a preliminary objection to the effect that the Court lacks […]

A robust debate has been triggered by Guyana’s Local Content Act (the Act) between Guyanese and Trinidad and Tobago business organisations, businesspeople and involving some Guyanese public officials. The debate has had little input from ordinary Guyanese citizens. For example, there has been few, if any, letters in the press from Guyanese expressing outrage against […]

As is to be expected, a complete reorientation of US-Guyana relations took place with the visit of Secretary of State Pompeo in September last year. With the emerging importance of Guyana as a petroleum producing state, it was natural that the US would want to place greater emphasis of its relations with Guyana. The critical […]