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Guyana remains firm on non-participation in Suriname oil and gas conference
Guyana is adamant that it will not be participating in Suriname’s first ever International Mining, Energy & Petroleum Conference and Exhibition (SURIMEP 2014) which will be held from June 17-19.
Minister of Natural Resource and the Environment
Minister of Natural Resources and the Environment Robert Persaud explained to this newspaper that nothing has changed since Guyana registered its objection to a part of the country being included on Suriname’s map as a territory of the Dutch-speaking nation.
Earlier in the year, an invitation was extended to Guyana to take part in the inaugural energy conference and exhibition, but Minister Persaud had explained that Guyana turned down the invite since the controversial New River Triangle area was once again brought to the fore with the Surinamese government highlighting it as part of their land.
Guyana and Suriname has for years, bumped heads over the New River Triangle area or as the Surinamese call it ‘Tigri’, which Guyana currently occupies and has a stronger legal claim to.
The Natural Resources Minister had explained to the National Assembly during the Budget debates that Minister of Foreign Affairs, Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett had protested the issue. He said that “We withdrew participation in an oil and gas conference which Suriname was proposing to hold in June and why we withdrew …they were circulating the document and as part of the Suriname map…they have the New River Triangle.”
Minister Persaud told Kaieteur News that, “we have not changed our position because nothing has changed on the Suriname end. We reiterate our non-participation,” the Minister charged.
The Minister was unable to say however, whether Guyana would participate in the upcoming event if the issue is resolved. He did say however, that the country’s Foreign Affairs office had made contact with the Surinamese Government via letter, but he is not aware of a response.
During the Budget debate, Minister Persaud also made note of an incident that occurred last year where Venezuelan authorities seized a seismic vessel which was carrying out prospecting activity in Guyanese waters. The Panama-flagged RV Terni Paraná was acquiring a multi-beam geophysical survey in the Rorem concession block, in Guyana’s exclusive economic zone, for US-based Anadarko Petroleum. Anadarko was awarded the Rorem block in June 2012.
Minister Persaud had pointed out that the prospects of oil and gas remains, but “unity” and “togetherness” is required on the issue. He said Exxon Mobil was on the brink of making major decisions, while a number of companies are working on striking oil.
Suriname’s three-day conference will be held under the theme “Utilizing Suriname’s Natural Resources to Underpin a Sustainable Economy.” It is organised by the country’s Natural Resources Ministry, in association with AME Trade Ltd.
SURIMEP will feature conference sessions, a trade exhibition, round table discussions, seminars as well as touristic trips and technical site visits.
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