The Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC) is calling for the urgent convening of the 13th Parliament, citing what it describes as a growing national crisis that demands swift legislative action.
In a press statement issued Thursday, the GTUC said Guyana’s pressing challenges-including the management of its oil and gas resources, the rising cost of living, deepening poverty, and escalating tensions between the United States and Venezuela-require immediate parliamentary debate and intervention.
“For decades, the Caribbean stood proudly as a Zone of Peace. Today, that peace is under threat,” the union warned. While some leaders argue that allowing the Caribbean Sea to serve as a channel in the US-Venezuela conflict helps maintain regional stability, the GTUC said the situation is fraught with grave complexities.
The organisation also raised concerns about the presence of American warships in the region, noting that even within the United States, this remains a contested issue. It urged Guyanese citizens to remain vigilant, stressing the need to safeguard the country’s sovereignty, peace, and security from external conflicts beyond its control.
According to the GTUC, the escalating geopolitical tensions could have severe repercussions for Guyana, including destabilisation of internal peace, increased forced migration, and strain on the country’s porous borders and social infrastructure. The union also warned that if not addressed transparently, the situation could fracture Guyana’s fragile national unity.
“These matters require transparent and informed debate by our elected representatives-and that can only happen in Parliament, the nation’s highest decision-making forum,” the GTUC stated.
The Attorney General recently announced that Parliament will be convened within three weeks.