If the Ali Administration felt that a little wine and dine would make Suriname’s head of state reverse his fishing policy, naive would be an understatement. The most venerable foreign minister, Talleyrand warned us a long time ago: ‘nations have no friends, they have interests’. Those who fail to adhere to this iron-clad diplomatic principle shall learn a hard lesson in geopolitics.
Chandrikapersad Santokhi had one objective during his four-day visit to Guyana from August 17-20: squeeze as much as he can for the people of Suriname from the Guyana/Suriname Strategic Dialogue and Cooperation Platform (SDCP). He was never going to grant what Ali wanted. No amount of sirens, red carpets, and curry chicken from State House could change that.
When Ali promised Guyanese fishermen to deliver Suriname Coast (SK) fishing licenses, he obviously had no clue about the impossible commitment he had untaken. The grand announcement made in August 2020 was perhaps one of the most naïve presidential actions in Guyana’s modern history. Ali is playing political games with a GY $8.5 billion industry.
Any attempts to break the backbone of a lucrative business for big fishing interests in Suriname is tantamount to political suicide for Suriname’s Progressive Reform Party. Did Ali and Jagdeo really believe that Santokhi aka ‘Chan’ was prepared to risk his political fortunes to safeguard the political interests of the PPP/C? If they believed that, we are in more trouble than anticipated. Suriname is not China, it is a democracy. Santokhi has an electorate to face.
Somebody needs to hold history classes for the Ali Cabinet. In 1978, Guyana’s army gunboats arrested Surinamese trawler operators. In 1991, the two countries signed an MOU to allow for oil exploration in the EEZ claimed by both parties. However, the Suriname Parliament rejected the agreement, it was never ratified. As well as that, Suriname gunboats evicted the CGX oil rig which was granted a license by Guyana.
CARICOM tried to resolve the conflict but they failed. Guyana took numerous robust actions against Suriname fishing poachers. It has been tit for tat in the EEZ. The passions are high, and Surinamese fishing interests will not yield. Hence, the question is begged: why would a regime embark on such folly? To what avail? It is another demonstration of the grand art of political deception which has been perfected by the PPP/C over decades. Indeed it is, after all, they subscribe to Hitler’s philosophy of political stratagem: just keep repeating the big lie.
More, In The Ring.
