With rising tension at its borders and growing threats from land and sea, Guyana is tightening its security belt — and it’s doing so with help from its Caribbean neighbours.
On Monday, the National Assembly gave the green light to the Regional Security System (RSS) Bill, officially signing Guyana up to a collective Caribbean defense pact. It’s a move lawmakers say will help the country respond more quickly and forcefully to threats ranging from border invasions to drug trafficking.
“We need to be ready,” said Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn during the passionate debate. “If the situation in Guyana ever collapses — whether it’s a breakdown in governance or we come under attack — the RSS can be called in.
”Benn reminded lawmakers of the RSS’s dramatic intervention in Grenada in 1983, when troops were deployed to restore democracy after a violent coup. Back then, U.S. support bolstered the mission. Now, Benn says, it’s about regional strength — neighbours looking out for each other.
In a rare show of unity, both government and opposition parties supported the Bill. But opposition MP Amanza Walton-Desir issued a word of caution, urging the government not to misrepresent the RSS as an independent investigative force. “It’s a support mechanism,” she stressed — not a watchdog.
The agreement binds member states to consult and act together whenever any of them feels democracy, peace, or sovereignty is under threat. If one country is attacked — whether by a foreign state or internal uprising — all members are obligated to respond, potentially with military force.
Though no one said it outright, the subtext of the debate was clear: Venezuela. The Spanish-speaking giant to Guyana’s west continues to press its long-standing claim to the Essequibo region — a claim Guyana has fought fiercely in international court.
Venezuelan maps now show the Essequibo as their own, and their laws reflect it.Minister Benn didn’t mince words about the danger. “If we’re attacked, the RSS could be the first to respond while the world catches up,” he said. “Even if the RSS comes, they’ll have to shoot and scoot with us.” His statement drew murmurs in the House — and a reminder that despite economic growth, Guyana remains vulnerable.
The RSS isn’t just about war. The agreement also allows countries to chase down drug smugglers across maritime boundaries, respond to natural disasters, conduct search-and-rescue missions, and protect offshore oil platforms. Troops from RSS countries would be allowed to operate in each other’s waters and airspace with full legal immunity.
Prime Minister Mark Phillips, a retired Brigadier, described the Bill as a critical step toward safeguarding Guyana’s booming offshore oil sector and its exclusive economic zone (EEZ). “All of us in this House know the threat we face from our western neighbour,” Phillips said. “This legislation ensures we’re not standing alone. It gives us the tools to defend our waters, our oil, and our way of life.
”For many watching the Assembly session, the message was simple: unity means survival. In a region prone to hurricanes, coups, and geopolitical tension, Guyana is betting that its best defense is a Caribbean alliance rooted in shared values and mutual protection.
