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Dear Editor, I note with serious concern the recent remarks by Barbados Prime Minister Motlley, that we don’t need any U.S. presence in the Caribbean. In my view, this position is both imprudent and unjustifiable. Safety and security is first priority particularly for Guyana. Firstly, the reality is that Caribbean states lack the military capacity and financial resources to defend themselves effectively against hostile regimes. The threat posed by Nicolás Maduro, with his baseless territorial claims against Guyana, is a case in point. Without the deterrent effect of U.S. forces, we risk emboldening dictators who emulate the model of Vladimir Putin. These dictators have their own personal agenda to remain in power by attacking neighbouring countries and they have no remote understanding or sensitivities to live cordially with neighbours. Secondly, if we look at what is unfolding in Europe, particularly in the context of the Russia–Ukraine War, we see that without U.S. military hardware, intelligence support and collective defence mechanisms, Ukraine would likely have been destroyed. Small states simply cannot go it alone in an anarchic international system. Prime Minister Mottley should examine South Korea and Taiwan, two highly developing countries threatened by the dictators in the region. Finally, I find the Barbados Prime Minister’s position dangerously naïve. The U.S. has never shown a propensity or inclination to occupy sovereign states in our region for long-term occupation; rather, the U.S. presence has often served as a stabilising factor for democratic nations. All countries that profess democratic values should therefore support efforts to counter dictators like Maduro and defend the sovereignty of smaller states in our region. Rejecting U.S. presence now undermines our capacity to defend peace, sovereignty, and the rule of law in the Caribbean. In this light, I must strongly disagree with and condemn Prime Minister Mottley’s statement. I submit that it is dangerous situation because it leaves Caribbean nations vulnerable at a time when the geostrategic environment demands vigilance, alliance and deterrence. Asgar Ally Former Senior Minister of Finance
