President calls on public to support Joint Services, amid threats from adversaries

Last Updated on Saturday, 16 May 2026, 14:18 by Denis Chabrol

President Irfaan Ali on Saturday appealed for national support of the Joint Services, at a time when Venezuela says it will not accept any ruling by the World Court on the validity of the 1899 Arbitral Tribunal Award.

Addressing members of the Joint Services after a route march through the streets of Georgetown as part of activities to celebrate Guyana’s 60th independence anniversary on May 26, 2026, he said they have an important role to play in fighting drug trafficking and aiding in maintaining “internal order” against criminals.  He said the public must back the Joint Services in carrying out those duties or Guyana risks showing division to its enemies. “That is why the public must lend their support wholeheartedly to our Joint Services because not supporting our Joint Services sends an adverse signal when potential adversaries look at Guyana, they ask themselves: Does Guyana enjoy unity? Do they value their protectors? Never let our adversaries see division and disunity because a divided house does not need to be invaded. It simply crumbles,” said Dr Ali, clad in an olive green four-pocket utility shirt and olive green cap decorated with the cacique crown  at the front, a map of Guyana and the flag of Guyana.

He cautioned that disrespecting or disregarding Guyana’s soldiers, police, prison officers and fire fighters would send an international message that Guyana does not take its own freedom seriously. “That message is more dangerous than any bullet,” he said. At the same time, he said “when they make mistakes, hold them accountable but never, never abandon them.” Over the years, member of the joint services have been found guilty or accused of a range of offences including robbery, murder, assault,  possession of narcotics for the purpose of trafficking, and theft of weapons.  A senior police officer has been sent on administrative leave after he was sanctioned by the United States’ Office of Foreign Assets Control for alleged narco-trafficking.

Now that Guyana awaits the International Court of Justice’s (ICJ) decision on its case concerning the validity of the award of the land boundary with Venezuela, Dr Ali struck an optimistic tone that the ruling would bring to an end decades of aggression by that former Spanish colony. “Our territorial integrity has been threatened before. It will never be threatened again; not only with words but with the threat of incursions and pressures dressed in diplomacy,” he said. Venezuela’s President, Delcy Rodriguez earlier this month told the ICJ that her country would not accept an ICJ decision even if it scraps the 126-year old boundary award. Instead, she insisted on a bilaterally negotiated solution, based on her government’s interpretation of the 1966 Geneva Agreement as the new “treaty”.

The President directed his attention to “our adversaries”, warning them  not to “mistake our peace for weakness” because the security forces are supported by diplomacy and the wider Guyanese “who would not barter their birthright.”

He thanked the Joint Services for their work in national security, and support for Guyana’s economic growth and international diplomacy. “To you, I say you kept the promise of  1966 alive. You’ve made sure that independence is not symbolic but a lived reality,” he said.

Guyana attained independence from Britain on May 26, 1966.