Stern test for Guyana at CARICOM heads meeting

Jul 02, 2015 News

Granger to Venezuela: We are not negotiating our land and sea

The 36th CARICOM Summit is expected to begin today in Bridgetown, Barbados, but routine business it will not be.
Rather, the developing situation between Guyana and its neighbour, Venezuela, in which the latter is hyping its claims to a large swath of Essequibo, and now for its waters, is set to take centre stage.

President David Granger shakes hands with PM Moses Nagamootoo at the Ogle Airport yesterday before departing for Barbados.

Venezuela’s claims were increasing in recent weeks as Guyana announced that US-owned, ExxonMobil, have found significant evidence of oil offshore Guyana, in a well that was drilled.
Venezuela, in a recent decree by President Nicolas Maduro, is claiming the waters where the well is located.
With both countries conducting a significant trade in oil and rice, to the tune of hundreds of millions of US dollars annually, the claims by Venezuela especially in light of the oil find by ExxonMobil in Guyana, is being taken seriously.
Expected at the three-event Caricom summit is United Nations Secretary-General, Ban Ki-Moon.
Leaving for Barbados yesterday, President David Granger, said that the Government of Guyana remains committed to improving relations with the government of Venezuela.
His message will be clear when he delivers his maiden address as this country’s new President to the CARICOM heads of Government.
His address will more than likely set out Guyana’s foreign policy stance also.
“Guyana remains steadfast, however, in its stand against the several illegal and increasingly militant actions of Venezuela directed against Guyana’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Guyana reasserts that its lawful boundaries that were established 116 years ago are not negotiable.
Their violation on land or at sea is an assault on the tenets of CARICOM and must be condemned as such. That will be Guyana’s message to all at the Heads of Government Conference,” Granger said in a statement.
Foreign Affairs Minister, Carl Greenidge, was clear what the new Government’s stance would be.
“It also affects states to the west and in that regard the Government of Colombia, like that of Guyana has lodged its objection. We will draw this to the attention of the Heads of the CARICOM States. Obviously, it is for those heads to take appropriate action, whatever the state of their current bilateral relations with Venezuela. Bilateral relations can only continue if you are a state!”
In a separate statement, Greenidge said that silence is not an option if CARICOM is to remain independent, let alone as viable states.
“We have to stoutly and unapologetically represent our interests and pursue fairness in the international arena.”
Speaking on the possibility of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro attending the Summit, Greendige said that President Granger and the Cabinet are of the view that “while Guyana remains interested in seeing improved relations with the Maduro government, it is steadfast in its stand against the several illegal and increasingly militant actions of Venezuela directed against Guyana’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
He noted that analysis and those of the friendly bilaterals which have consulted in the last three weeks, point to the fact that the 1787 decree promulgated by Venezuela, apart from being illegal in international law, seeks to appropriate for Venezuela marine spaces and related resources which currently constitute, and are accepted as part of the EEZ of every state in the Eastern Caribbean ranging from St Kitts and Nevis to Grenada as well as Suriname.
He was critical of Venezuela’s decree which now sees that country’s navy enforcing a security zone in Guyana’s waters… “It is no laughing matter, neither can it be an error if after six weeks it is still in force.”
Yesterday, Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, disclosed that ExxonMobil’s executives, including its President Stephen M Greenlee, have reaffirmed their commitment to the exploration work being done offshore in Guyana’s waters.
The US Company is moving forward in deploying additional resources to the current activities.
Venezuela’s claims on Guyana is not affecting its current oil supplies under the Petro Caribe arrangements where this country and a number of others pay a percentage upfront and rest at low interest rate over 20-plus years period.
Venezuela during a PetroCaribe summit in that country earlier this week assured that the supplies will continue despite low world prices.
Venezuela’s President, Nicolas Maduro, was set to address his National Assembly on his country’s claims on Guyana but cancelled it. It was the second time in a week.
According to Harmon yesterday, the meeting in Barbados will see Guyana also pushing for a harmonization of foreign policy in the region.
To bolster its arguments in the Venezuela claims issue, the Government of Guyana has prepared a book, “CARICOM Geo-Politics”, which will be presented to the heads of Government during the Barbados summit.
In addition to Minister Greenidge, accompanying the President will be Guyana’s Ambassador to Suriname, Keith George, and Director General (ag) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Audrey Jardine-Waddell.
Ambassador George is considered an expert on the Venezuela border issue, Harmon said yesterday.